


My Doctor, My Friend

by DaynaWayna



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-16 02:01:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13626210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaynaWayna/pseuds/DaynaWayna
Summary: Written for a challenge on Tumblr in 2014, the original story "Min and the Doctor" (posted in 2014 but since removed) was an exercise for me in concise but descriptive writing. I revisited the story mid 2016, and decided I had the framework for something much better and deeper; I hope you find this expansion richer and fuller than the original.





	1. Old Friends

**Author's Note:**

> AN:  
> This was first written Winter 2014 as we were waiting for Peter Capaldi's first season in the Fall. It is important for the reader to know this for reasons that become clear later.

 

~  _ Mano'te _ \- Monarch or Sovereign. Male and female use the same title.

~  _ Mano'te ne _ \- Future Monarch

~ _ Hakka'dosh _ \- God, aka The One

**_Chapter 1_ **

His visits always lifted her spirits and brought joy to her children, and in time her grandchild as well. He had regenerated again from his last visit, ebony skin and hair a perfect compliment to her peoples red skin and plum colored hair; it was yet another drastic change from what the previous Doctor called his "Asian phase."

Coming to Meydidia always gave the Doctor a sense of grounding and peace, no matter what regeneration came to visit; they were space capable while still keeping to an overall simpler lifestyle than other planets in the region. The larger cities reminded the Time Lord of Earth in the mid-twentieth century while smaller outlying provinces gave the appearance of being pre-industrial, each with their own sovereignty under the larger planetary whole. These were his favorite places to visit, and where Min and her family lived.

He always brought Min a trinket from his travels, and those 'sweet infants' he was still so fond of. She no longer became upset when her children, even as full-grown adults, clamored for the candy shaped like a newborn (though she  _ still _ felt it was barbaric) and would make a face at the Doctor whenever he brought them out. At least her grand-daughter had the sense to dislike them!

As always, his time to leave came much too soon, whether he stayed for days or weeks. And as always, she walked him back to his amazing blue box of adventure.

"I think this new face and skin color suits you nicely," Min said as they approached the TARDIS, "and I'm sure Bill, Martha and Mickey would agree."

"Ah, my beautiful Doll Face," he said in his new deep voice as he cupped her face with his hands, "And if you are two hundred sixty-two years old as you claim to be, I certainly did not look so good at your age. You don't look a day over one hundred fifty!"

"Were you ever my age," the former companion sassed back. "Wait, of course you were, and you're right, I do look better than you did before your first regeneration."

The Doctor mimed being stabbed in the hearts as they both laughed. "Oh Min, how I've missed your companionship. Are you  _ sure _ the  _ Mano'te ne  _ cannot join me for one more adventure?"

"Your regeneration must be newer than you told me, dear friend, or you wouldn't have asked me that."

He glanced away from her and twisted the silver band on his right pinky finger before looking back at her. "Guilty as charged. You don't need the details, just know that this one took its toll on me. This Old Girl," he patted the TARDIS door, "brought me here of her own accord after I regenerated. I'd been here for two days before I felt comfortable enough to seek you out, but I think somehow you already knew I was here..." He kicked the door of the TARDIS with his toe and she responded with a shudder and a growl.

"Oh, Doctor," Min sighed and placed her hand on the side of his face, "when will you learn to trust your ship and your companions? As much as I'd love to, I am no longer the youngling of ninety-seven* who began her amazing adventures with you. I have been married for one hundred forty years and I will not leave Jaukin's side, not even for you dear friend. Plus, as  _ Mano'te  _ I can no longer go "ninny-prancing to traipesy things;" my father passed thirty-five years ago, placing his Mantle on me."

His reply became a splutter of confusion, "The Sovereign? Oh, my Magenta Min," he cried as he spun her around like he had in the past, "you finally came into your rightful place! Oh, but your father," he bowed his head and recited the Prayer of Mourning And Rejoicing in honor of the deceased monarch.

Min's heart swelled with pride as he prayed; the Doctor had learned that prayer when Min was called home at the passing of her grandmother, and had only heard it twice: once when her  _ gah-meh  _ passed, and again at her Life Celebration. He didn't miss a word.

"Rest with The One,  _ Mano'te Dina-ula'ni Ekata, _ " he finished softly. "And in the tradition of the Brits of old,  _ Mano'te Dina _ is dead, Long Live  _ Mano'te Mintu'pa-he Ekata _ ! Congratulations Doll Face, my," he paused and leaned close to her ear to whisper, "my Sweet Cheeks."

Min's red skin rapidly changed to bright orange, the different colored bells at the end of every braid on her head tinkling with embarrassment.

The Doctor quickly looked up to the sky, brown eyes scanning the clouds, then sighed. "I guess The One let that one slip by, eh?"

"Yes,  _ Hakka'dosh _ is gracious, but Jaukin would not be, had he heard you," she replied with a glint in her eye.

"Your handsome Prince Consort? Not bloody likely, Your Grace; he's far too fond of twenty-first century Earth trinkets to 'do me in' just yet."

The laughed and embraced in a very long hug that only ended when the evening bells called the faithful to worship. They had long since stopped using words at these partings, so she stepped back and bowed as she crossed her arms across her chest. The seven silver braids based behind her left ear, the ceremonial  _ lendeith _ , swung forward as she bowed. The Doctor reached for the one braid with a TARDIS blue bell and closed his hand around it as she stood tall again. Her normally plum hair did not, as in times past, turn the same color blue as the bell; the roots now took on a golden radiance that swept down every braid on her head.

Except for the one the Doctor held: It shone blue, and the bell chimed in time with the beat of double hearts.

"You really are  _ Mano'te, _ " he said with both sadness and reverence. "Well, it had to happen someday, didn't it? Oh dear, I've broken our non-verbal tradition! My apologies, your Majesty. I shall now leave post haste!"

The Doctor clapped his hands twice and the TARDIS door opened. He walked in, turned around and winked at her as he closed the TARDIS door; a moment later he was gone. Min looked at the empty space and shook her head, the bells in her hair laughing along with her. He was a clever man, but she still missed the clever woman the Doctor was when they first met.

* * *

 

*Min traveled with Dr. Jean from age 97-114 which would be a young adult to us. She is now 262, but would pass for someone on earth in their 60's, still very active but beginning to to slow down.

  
  



	2. Present and Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meydidian's develop more slowly than humans, and their years are shorter than Earth years, so the aging process is as follows. Ages in parenthesis are human for comparison.  
> Infancy (birth-2) is birth to 7  
> Toddler (2-4) is 7-16  
> child (4-10) is 16-40  
> Min's granddaughter De'lyth is about 8 Earth years old, but 33 Meydidian years old.

 

_ ~ Nanthe d'kmdor _ \- around their 40th year, youth go through a rite of passage that signals the beginning of their coming of age in their family. There are several rites as they age and progress into adulthood, gaining responsibilities in the wider community until they achieve true adulthood at age 92. This would correlate to turning 21, more or less.

~ _ Lendeith _ \- a set of seven silver braids located behind the left ear, each with a bell on the end. It is considered an extremely personal part of a person and is not handled randomly. The lendeith is a physical connection to the telepathic and empathic abilities of each Meydidian, and is used in ceremonies or holy rituals. Each bell is a different color: red, blue, green, purple, white, black and gold. Bell color/combination indicates what one intends to do with another person. Bells on all other braids can be any color the wearer chooses, but must be lighter in color from lendeith bells of same color family.

~ _ Mamay and Padi _ \- Mommy and Daddy

~  _ Gha-meh and Gha-peh _ \- Grandma and Grandpa

~  _ Gha-pehdi _ \- Great-Grandpa

~  _ Kalet moph _ \- Expression of shock or surprise; usually positive, can be negative.

* * *

 

**_Chapter 2_ **

After worship, Min was greeted by her young granddaughter De'lyth as she walked through the palace garden.

" _ Gha-meh _ , I want to be a man like the Doctor. Tell me how to gee-reminate!"

She held out her hand to the child and started walking to the Story Grotto. "Oh do you? Well, do you remember how I told you he is a Time Lord?"

Wide eyes stared up at her and blinked slowly. "Uh huh."

"Regeneration is something special that only they can do; just like how our hair changes color with our moods or emotions.."

"And our bells sing," De'lyth chortled as the bells on her purple braids clinked out a melody.

"Yes, our bells sing. Delly, how would you like to  _ Gha-meh _ to tell you the story of when Doctor Jean changed from female to male, right before my eyes?"

The child quivered with excitement, "Am I old enough now  _ Gha-meh _ , cuz  _ mamay _ and  _ padi  _ say I have to be older and celebrate  _ Nanthe d'kmdor _ , like  _ padi _ did before you will tell me _. _ "

Min smiled at the youngster, "Just because that was the rule for my son, doesn't mean it's the same for all children. I am  _ Mano'te _ , am I not? If I say you are ready, then you are ready."

They reached the grotto and sat on a story bench, a U-shaped, green and gold marbled bench with seats at either open end. Min took De'lyth's hands in her own and said a short prayer.

"We praise  _ Hakka'dosh _ , whom the Doctor calls The One, for all He has given us and for all we do. Thank you for sending us the Doctor, and for showing us her love, as well as his."

Min opened her eyes and gazing back at her were Palte's eyes; it seemed to be the one trait passed on by the firstborn in the royal family to each new generation. She smiled at the memory of telling him about her travels, many of which De'lyth would indeed have to wait for until after  _ Nanthe d'kmdor _ .

"Why doesn't the Doctor have a first name,  _ gah-meh? _ And why was he so much darker this visit when last time he was a lighter yellow?"

Her grandmother laughed, "Oh De'lyth, my angel of light, your curiosity is boundless! To your first question I say he simply prefers to just be called 'Doctor.' To your second question I have no answer, but I will ask you one of my own. What do you know of my time with Doctor Jean?"

The child thought a moment before answering. " _ Padi _ says you told him you met her when she was sad and lonely and that you were the only one on the planet not afraid of her. He says  _ Gha-pehdi _ knew about Time Lords and wanted you to learn about aliens and monsters and the big, wide out there and so he told the Elders you were going to travel with the Doctor and that was that!"

Min laughed deeply and De'lyth joined her. "Oh, Palte you rascal! Your  _ padi _ always had a way with words, even as a child your age. Yes, my  _ padi _ had not been  _ Mano'te _ for very long when Dr. Jean landed here, very sad and alone. We don't see many aliens on our world, so most Meydidians were afraid of her, including me. But there was something about her that drew me in… as a matter of fact, when I first saw her, only my  _ lendeith _ bells chimed to me. And all of them at once, too!"

Round eyes stared at her, hanging on every word. "But  _ gah-meh, lendeith _ bells never sing all at once. Teacher says each one of our seven silver braids has a special purpose that is shown by the color of bell. All seven braids are used to perform ' _ detah _ , and others can be used in groups for other things, but even when we're really, really happy only some of the  _ lendeith _ bells sing. How did Dr. Jean make that happen?"

"I don't know, De'lyth, but my  _ mamay _ said it was a sign from  _ Hakka'dosh _ that we were meant to be together, which is why the Elders gave their blessing for us to travel together; though some were concerned that I didn't have a personal guard. But your  _ gah-pehdi _ had complete trust in the Doctor and told them as my father  _ and _ their king, I was going with her and that was that. Of course if she had been male, I wouldn't have been able to travel with him alone."

The child looked confused. "But why not?"

"'Keep yourselves as pure vessels, and give not the appearance of impropriety,' as the Holy Writ says. As Royalty we are held to the highest standard, and I take my responsibilities seriously. For me to travel unaccompanied with a man I was not bonded to was forbidden; were I not the Crown Princess, it might have been different. However, not all aliens hold to our morals or follow  _ Hakka'dosh _ ; our bonding of only men to women was strange to them, and many people thought that Dr. Jean and I were bond-mates. As women."

De'lyth's mouth made a perfect 'o' shape, braids changing from bright hues to dark. Min remembered her own similar reaction the first time she understood the not-so-subtle insinuation made in regards to their "sexual activities", and put her hand on the child's head.

"As strange as that is to us,  _ Hakka'dosh _ knows all, sees all, and is all. We cannot force anyone to accept the ways of The One, as He is known in the universe; we are to be a reflection of His love. If someone believed the Doctor and I were bond-mates, how did it harm us? Or me? If my love for the Doctor showed as what another would believe a bonding, then the depth of my devotion to her was viewed well. I would of course correct anyone in their error and explain that we were good friends and not romantically involved. Dr. Jean never did understand my need to do this however, and chided me regularly."

"So when she gee-rem… ree… became a man, he had to bring you home right away?"

The Sovereign smiled, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves! Now, are you ready for the most amazing story you've ever heard?" Delly nodded and Min continued. "You know I traveled with Dr. Jean for many years, well before I was bonded to your  _ Gha-peh. _ She was an incredible woman, and I wanted so much to keep traveling with her; but as we were protecting some children caught in the crossfire between warring factions on a planet very far away from here, she was shot in the chest."

De'lyth's normally purple braids faded to a soft brown, her red skin now a dark peach. "Oh no! How did you save her,  _ Gha-meh? _ "

"I carried her back to the TARDIS, and once we were inside, she regenerated."

Doctor Jean had told her companion all about Time Lords, regaling her with regeneration stories, how she had been gifted a second regeneration cycle, and that she had used a few of them already. But Min had never once considered that Dr. Jean had ever been anything other than female, why would she?

It was traumatic enough to watch her best friend get shot while protecting children, carrying her half-conscious friend into the TARDIS and being told to prepare for regeneration; so when Dr. Jean regenerated into a  _ man _ , Min was more than a bit surprised and her vibrant hair faded to soft violet with uncertainty.

" _ Kalet moph _ , you're a… you're male! You can't be male; change back to a woman!"

The Doctor looked at the red-skinned woman with the somewhere-between-violet-and-lavender head of braided hair as she stared at him. She reminded him of someone, but something was wrong…

"Martha," he shouted and ran over to her. "No, not Martha. Bill?" He said as he took her face in his hands. "The aesthetics are correct- lips, nose, ears (those two had amazing ears!)... but you and your hair, Sweet Cheeks, are the wrong color."

The orange blush that rushed across her face was not what he'd expected, especially the fearful and uncomfortable look in her eyes.

"Why are you orange, girl, and why do you look all verklempt? Do you always look that way when I use your name?"

Doctor Jean (as she prefered to be called most of the time) called her Sweet Cheeks, an endearment she told Min was from the planet Earth. But on Meydidia, the similar sounding  _ sva'eteks _ was used only between husband and wife, according to the Holy Writ.

The Elders were appalled that 'that alien' was so brazen and used the term so casually, considering Min was the Crown Princess of Ekata, but she loved Doctor Jean's laissez faire attitude regarding 'propriety with titles and such nonsense;' it proved that the term could still be loving and intimate but not sexual, and not go against the word of  _ Hakka'dosh _ , The One Most High.

"My name is not…  _ that _ . You are not my bond-mate, you  _ can't _ call me that! It's, it's…" she flailed.

"But I've always called you Swee-"

"Stop! Please Doctor… or whoever you are, do not offend me, or  _ Hakka'dosh _ ."

He stared at the young woman, studying her intently. " _ Hakka'dosh _ ? Haa-kaah dosh, Hakka.. oh! Him! He of the divine power to create and destroy, loves all beings, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent… lovely chap. I do believe I rather liked Him when I was a lady. Bit strict for my personal taste, but you," his rapid speech slowed as he finally made the connection, "you love and respect Him deeply. Worship Him, if my memory still works."

She nodded as he reached for the seven silver braids of her  _ lendeith  _ and supported them in his open palm. "This is your connection to Him, yes?"

Min nodded. "It is one way my people honor Him, yes. Another is to keep ourselves pure for our bond-mate, and avoid the appearance of impropriety." She chuckled and gave him a gentle smile. "We didn't do it on purpose, but Dr. Jean and I were considered bond-mates more times than I could ever count. But I believe  _ Hakka'dosh _ , whom Doctor Jean... well, you, called The One, understood that other species and races viewed us by their own societal norms, not those set out for my people by The One, so I did not go against the Holy Writ."

In the back of her mind, Min saw her own conversation on this subject with Dr. Jean and remembered looking at her the way this male Doctor was looking at her now, which gave her no small measure of comfort.

"And as a man who is not my bond-mate you cannot call me Sweet Cheeks anymore, even though you aren't saying…  _ Hakka'dosh _ forgive me but he must know," she lowered her voice to a whisper, " _ sva'eteks _ . It is similar enough to make me uncomfortable."

The Doctor blinked at her and Min didn't need her empathic ability to feel his confusion. She was glad that Dr. Jean had explained regeneration to her and described PRS to her so well. This Doctor had a perfect case of Post Regeneration Syndrome!

"Ah, I see," His look of concern and remorse showed her he did indeed finally understand.

"Well,  _ of course _ I can't call you that….  **_now_ ** ," he swept his hands around himself, indicating his male form still wearing multiple pearl necklaces of varying length, a collared button up navy silk blouse with a grey and blue wide striped vest, the stripes at an angle (to cut a nice silhouette, according to the woman who had worn it moments before), a brown wool divided skirt with side pockets, and sensible shoes.

"My neurons might be scrambled eggs at the moment, but I still respect The One. Oh, but I  _ will _ miss that name."

Relief flooded her face as Min brushed a piece of curly hair away from his face. "At least you kept it ginger."

"I'm still ginger? Wonderful!" He pranced around her as if she were a Maypole. He started patting down the skirt he was still wearing, muttering to himself before grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Ah ha! My sonic… lipstick? Oh that will never do. I need a screwdriver. And Jammie Babies. Um, no… Jelly Dodgers. Gah!" He smacked his temples with the palm of his hands and collapsed in a heap.

Min knelt beside him, unsure of what to do. Dr. Jean had completed her regeneration a while before they'd first met, and while the companion had bandaged and cared for her injured friend many times before, she was unsure if medical practices for male humanoids were the same as for female. She put her hands on either side of his face and started to pray;  _ Hakka'dosh _ was always a good place to start. A moment or two later the Doctor's eyes fluttered open.

"Damn regeneration's gone and messed with my head," he said as he sat up slowly. "I need tannins, free radicals... gotta reverse the enzyme decay. Tea! I need Tea. One lump, no lemon, and just a smidge of cream."

He leaned forward, crossed his arms on top of his bent knees and put his head down as his companion stood up and walked toward the tea cabinet.

"And cookie jams!"

Min sighed. "Your cookies are in the library where you left them."

"No, not cookies, biscuits. Americans have cookies, what I want is a proper biscuit, Doll Face."

Funny how a new endearment just rolled off this new tongue.

"I can call you Doll Face, can't I? It won't upset The One? I've upset plenty of gods before and not worried one bit for the consequences, but I rather like yours. At least I think I do..."

Min turned orange again, but this time with a hint of pink and he knew he'd pleased her.

"Doll Face. Hm. I can't think of anything in Meydidian that it sounds like; but what should I call you?"

"The Doctor, Professor, John Smith… whatever you want to call me! I'll let you know when it sounds good to me."

Min frowned in thought, "Well, I suppose I could just call you Doctor-"

He clapped his hands and rubbed them together as he stood. "Stupendous! Oh, I rather like that word. Now, where are my jammie jellies? No, no, biscuit dodgers! No… baby jams? Nob Hobs…" he staggered and grabbed onto the console for support.

The TARDIS shuddered at his touch and Min could feel the confusion of his regeneration swirling around him like a living thing. And then she remembered the promise she'd made to Dr. Jean one evening as they watched a meteor shower from the open door of the TARDIS.

" _ Promise me that when I regenerate, you will make me rest for several hours before I start traipsing across the universe," she said in earnest. "I have a tendency to just plow forward without ample time to find my footing again, and that's not worked out well for me yet; except that one time when Jack found my hand… but I digress. So please, promise you won't let me go prancing around like a ninny and make me take my rest." _

Min took his hands in hers and led him across the room to a small room just off the console room. She sat him down on the bed and he slumped over onto his side, protesting the new arrangement.

"I'm fine Min, you silly boy. No, Jamie I won't do it! Susan, grandfather is fine. Mel, stop fussing. Rose…"

"You made me promise to keep you from ninny-prancing to traipesy things, and that's what I'm going to do. Now rest. The universe will survive for a few more hours without you."

"Yes Mum," he mumbled and started snoring immediately. Not taking the bait, she started to hum a song that was a favorite of Doctor Jean. She saw his body stiffen then relax, and after several minutes he had the even breathing that the female Doctor had in her sleep.

The moment Min closed the door, it vanished and the lights dimmed. She smiled and her bells tinkled in laughter. "You naughty girl," she said to the TARDIS. "He's not going to be happy with you, but I don't think you care. Neither do I."

She could sense peace in the corridor and decided to go take a rest herself. She knew she could trust the TARDIS to keep them safe.

  
  



	3. Different, Yet the Same

~  _ natoth kai _ \- Meydidian delicacy that the Doctor in any form found disgusting.

~  _ da'ena dag _ \- someone who randomly does or says crazy or silly things; a goofball.

* * *

 

**_Chapter 3_ **

"Ah, you're up. Very good," the Doctor said as Min walked into the control room several hours later, carrying an ornate wooden tray. "What do you think of my new ensemble, Min?" He turned slowly so she could see him from all sides.

She smiled at the use of her name instead of a nickname and looked at him quizzically, "I don't remember seeing males wearing skirts, Doctor."

"Oh posh," he grumped. "It's called a kilt, which is a knee-length non-bifurcated skirt-type garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys on Earth in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. The pattern on the kilt and sash is called Tartan. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic (and more specifically Gaelic) heritage even more broadly. This particular tartan is..."

He trailed off as Min just stared at him, trying to process the information overload.

"You're confused, aren't ya Doll Face? Well then, let's just say that men from Earth wore kilts from time to time. Is that better?"

She nodded slowly and then shook her head with a smile as she placed the tray next to him on the console. Laid out on the tray was a beautiful bone china teapot with forget-me-nots and lilies of the valley on it with a matching cup and saucer, the scent of jasmine tea wafting from the spout. In front of the teapot was a small plate of jammie dodgers, a bag of jelly babies, a plate hobnobs, digestives and bourbon creams, one with chocolate chip cookies, and a plate of buttermilk biscuits- to be on the safe side.

The Doctor placed a hand over his hearts and smiled. "Ah, Marvelous Min my Meydidian angel! I can always count on you to touch my hearts," he said as he reached for the jelly babies, and Min groaned.

"Oh, not the Candy Infants!"

"Yes, jelly babies," he cheered as he popped one into his mouth. "If you didn't want me to eat them, why did you bring them?"

"Because you had asked for them, or tried to and I wanted to help. But I still think it's barbaric to eat something in the shape of-" the Doctor put his index finger on her mouth and shook his head.

"Uh-uh… I don't make faces when you eat  _ natoth kai _ -"

"That's because this face hasn't watched me eat it yet," she retorted, though it was hard to understand with a finger across her mouth.

He dropped his hand and sighed, "Touché, mon ami. Bien sûr, vous avez raison.  _ Vous êtes toujours raison. Et pourquoi vos cheveux tourne vert? Arrêtez fille, arrêtez! _ (Good point, my friend. Of course you are right. You are always right. And why is your hair turning green? Stop it girl, stop!) I know French is the 'language of love,' but you look like a ruddy Christmas decoration with your green hair and red skin."

Min was quite surprised that  _ he _ had the same effect on her as  _ she _ did, even though they were really the same person, yet not. She had always loved listening to Dr. Jean speak that language, and had even picked up some basic understanding of it; but it always turned her hair a beautiful emerald green no matter how hard she concentrated on keeping it purple.

She startled back to reality as this new Doctor plunked down the teapot hard enough to make the lid rattle. He had just about inhaled the jammie dodgers and was starting on the hobnobs, stuffing his face with gusto. He glanced over at Min whose look of shock made him pause his feeding frenzy, a biscuit hanging out of his mouth and the teacup poised to wash the whole mess down.

Her hair turned a lovely shade of pale yellow, her bells tinkling in laughter that mixed with her own. "Oh, you are going to take some getting used to, you strange man.

He raised the teacup at her and took what he hoped was a dainty sip of tea, enjoying the melodic laughter of the bells.

As he savored his treats, Min found the courage to ask him the one question she could not let go of.

"I don't want to sound rude... Doctor, but why didn't you stay a woman? Can you still change back?"

"Regeneration's more or less complete," the Doctor shook his head. "And while I thoroughly enjoyed being a woman, it's good to be a man again. And as I'm sure you noticed, not all cultures value the female of their species," he said as he popped an orange jelly baby into his mouth. "Like that planet with those ugly little buggers, big craniums sort of split down the back and ridiculously sharp teeth; all about money and profit. Because we were females, they thought we had stolen the TARDIS and just about succeeded in selling us as slave girls for their table games, remember?"

Min nodded and shuddered at the memory. "They were so offended that we were covering our bodies with clothing, too!"

"And not a woman to be seen in any position of power, or clothed for that matter, making things just that much harder for us to be believed. Now, if I had been my preferred male gender that would have made things much easier for us. They would have assumed you were my property and we wouldn't have had all that trouble."

Something about his tone irritated his companion, and her eyes began to darken.

"And while there are entire planets and species where the female is the dominant gender, I find that the male tends to receive more respect than the female out in the great, wide universe. And quite frankly, I got tired of all the misogyny; aliens of all types leering and grabbing at us, assuming I of all people,  **_me_ ** , a Time Lord, was just some stupid female who needed a man's help!"

His attitude had gone from playful to sardonic and hurtful. Min was so shocked that she marched over to him and smacked him in the face. "How dare you! You of all people should know better tha-"

"Stop!"

He grabbed her  _ lendeith _ and shook it to make the bells shriek.

Min could feel her rage boiling and growled deep in her chest. "The Doctor, the  _ real _ Doctor, had more respect for me than you do, imposter. She knew the sacredness one's  _ lendeith _ , where you do not. Just because you are male does  _ not _ mean you have authority over me."

The man's grip tightened and he lifted the braids above her head.

"I am a daughter of Monarchs; I will not have some  _ common man _ disrespect me!"

When the braids were taut he tugged once to pull her head up. He slid his hand up to the bells and made a fist around them, the barest of smiles at the edge of his mouth as he shook them in his closed hand.

" _ Mahpay 'detah…" _

"No, don't!"

Min tried to pull away but the bells clanged against each other in warning; once begun, the ceremony had to be completed.

The ' _ detah _ was a deeper bonding of souls. It could be done between friends, family members or spouses, and the meaning changed based on the relationship of the pair and gender. Min and Dr. Jean had performed this as friends, but now a complete stranger was reciting the chant in Meydidian. He recited the chant as it was taught to his female self and so used female pronouns, punctuating the fact that he was indeed the same person.

She responded out of habit, mind racing ahead to the end of the ritual to find anything that would stop her from bonding with  _ him _ , yet somehow still  **_her_ ** . They locked eyes and Min was shocked that something so alien to her could be so familiar.

Everything was different, including his mind, but he allowed her to see his memories of their time together.

She held her breath as they said the final phrase in unison.

The braids changed from silver to bright orange to pink. And then to blue. TARDIS blue.

" _ Kalet moph _ . Just like last time!"

He looked at the blue  _ lendeith _ and his eyebrows rose in surprise. "Well. You said the ' _ detah _ never lies because it is a 'soul connection'. Looks like we're still mates after all, Doll Face. Well, not  _ mates _ as in bonded, but friends. Companions." He loosened his grip on her hair and the bells tinkled as they fell.

Min stared at him a moment before speaking. "You really are her; you  _ are _ Dr. Jean." Her bells chimed a sad note and a single large tear fell down her cheek. "How can I… you're a complete stranger, but you aren't. Why did you have to become male?"

The Doctor took her in his arms as he had done for the past seven years and started to sing one of the Meydidian songs Min had taught him. Unfortunately, the tender moment was shattered by the yowling that came from his throat followed by a shriek of horror and then laughter from his companion.

"Well," he harrumphed as Min's hair became a kaleidoscope of colors, "how was I supposed to know I'd go from a first soprano to a bass?" Then he turned to the TARDIS console and started flipping switches and levers. "Lot of good you are, Miss Sassy Pants. So are we friends again?"

She nodded and he clapped his hands, twirling in circles. The kilt came to life and lifted almost to his waist, leaving him fully exposed, and Min turned bright pink.

"Doctor! You have nothing on!"

"Of course I do, you silly nit. I'm wearing a kilt and tunic. Goodness girl, turn around! I'm not naked."

"Then don't spin," she said firmly. "You had more modesty as a female."

The Doctor opened his mouth to reply but paused as his still-adapting-to-the-new-body brain made the connection between his actions and Min's embarrassment.

"Bloody Hell," he pouted, "and damn modesty. Alright, I promise not to spin… in front of you."

His companion turned to face him again, her green eyes glinting with laughter. "You are still  _ da'ena dag _ , Doctor. Please don't let that ever change."

He ran over to her and picked her up in a bear hug. "Yes, Minnie Mouse, I am silly, crazy, a Goofy-head! And I've decided," he released her and took her by the hand, his demeanor suddenly serious, "that you should see me as the men that came before my female self."

She blinked in shock as he looked directly in her eyes, "I really did love being a woman Min, please know that. But now that I am back in a male body, I find it is truly who I am. And I want to apologize for not being honest with you in that respect."

"I believe I might be able to forgive you," the sparkle in her eyes belied her serious expression, "eventually."

"Fantabulous! Is that a word? Well it is now," he proclaimed, then became serious once more. "There is something I need to do, so you just stay here and I'll be back in a jiff!"

He dashed off before she could reply, leaving her bemused. The lights in the control room flickered and Min felt a joyous energy in the room; if the TARDIS were a physical person, Min knew she'd be standing there laughing at the Doctor.

A short time later the Doctor stuck his head into the control room. "Come Min, I want you to see me, before you."

A few minutes later they were in the viewing room. Min was ensconced in an overstuffed oval couch watching the Doctor move from panel to screen setting things up. When he was done he handed her the remote.

"Okay. I've set it up for you. Only the best parts, right 'ole girl?" He patted the wall and the TARDIS' whir changed pitch. "I'll be… somewhere, not here though. Hate watching myself. Ciao!"

He was gone before Min could utter a sound.

With a sigh and a tinkling of bells she pushed the button marked 'play.'

"Hello Swee- ah, er… Doll face! You know I'm going to screw it up and call you that sometimes, so please forgive me," the Doctor on the screen stammered. "I hope I have done myself justice in these memories from my past, and once again I want to tell you how much of a joy it was for me to be a woman. Especially with you to guide me and ah… keep me in line."

Min chuckled and felt a warm surge of emotion in response to his sincerity.

"Some images might be familiar to you," he started to fidget with the hem of his tunic, "and I hope you can forgive me for that. It was very… well, nevermind what it  _ was _ ."

She paused the video, confused by his statement. "What does that mean, Doctor?" After a moment more she resumed the video.

"It is what it is and that's all there is to it. Now, onward to my past!"

  
  



	4. Meeting his past

**_CHAPTER 4_ **

Min had a hard time believing that the tall, slender woman with the shoulder length wavy ginger hair was ever the stooped, gray-haired elder gentleman she was watching now. The scenes from different planets and locales moved at a fairly quick pace, and she was surprised that the people with the Original Doctor looked familiar to her. That is until she recognized someplace she and Dr. Jean had been and it all suddenly fell into place.

"We were there! I know these people," she cried and stopped the playback again. "That's Tyler! And there's Jenny, Dortmun, Barbara and Ian… you crossed your own timeline? I thought you said that was dangerous? But...I _spoke_ to the First you… **you** even spoke to him! Oh, you wretched woman!"

She heard the Doctor reply through the speakers, though the playback was still paused. "I am truly sorry for not telling you the truth before now, Swee- no, Doll Face. My first form isn't the only one we met, either; the temptation was too great. I had to do it. Forgive me?"

The bells on her braids clanged a loud discordant note.

"Please don't be mad, _Mano'te ne_."

The silence was long, but Min finally heaved a resigned sigh, "You don't play fair, Doctor," she said, fighting the smile the honorific always brought to her face. "But honestly, I really could have done without being attacked by Daleks in twenty-second century London. But why did you choose to watch Susan leave you again? Your melancholy then makes so much sense now. I wish I known and I would have helped you more."

Min tried to remember other times Doctor Jean took them to where they would have seen her former self, but they had seen so much in the years they'd traveled together, she gave up rather quickly.

"This is going to be interesting," she thought as she crossed her legs under her, resumed the video and leaned forward transfixed, watching the lives of her best friend play out before her. "I see your new kilt matches Jamie's exactly," she said with a smile, "it suits you."

As each new Doctor appeared, she would try to remember where she had met him before the telltale scene would appear onscreen.

Sometimes she did remember their meetings and would pause the video to contemplate the 'how-to's and why-for's' (as Dr. Jean was so fond of saying) of why that particular point in time in her previous male regeneration's life was chosen for a visit. When the time they met appeared onscreen, it was with joy and sadness she remembered the situation.

For the times she couldn't remember meeting him, the scene was greeted with, "How was _that_ the Doctor?" from a very shocked companion.

"Now I know why you didn't want to stay and watch," she muttered as the video showed their visit to the space trading colony Iceworld, where she now clearly remembered the conversation she had with Ace and Mel in the diner that was playing on the screen. "You knew I'd be angry when I realized which of our adventures were about visiting your past selves. Well, you're _still_ going to get an earful, Doctor."

Min also discovered that they had in fact visited all of the Doctor's companions but didn't see the Doctor _with_ every companion. Some of her favorites were Jamie, Jo, Leela, Sarah Jane, Adric, and Ace.

Sometimes they visited a timeline post-Doctor or sometimes even during an event of import, but saw the companion only, never their Doctor. It made her head spin trying to figure out how Doctor Jean managed to not run into her former self time and again.

She found it comforting to know that the Doctor always had companions around, and Min felt special knowing that while the male Doctor preferred human or human-looking companions, the woman had chosen _her_ ; humanoid yes, but red-skinned, with six digits on each hand, and plum braids with multi-colored bells at the end of each.

One thing she had noticed was that his first seven incarnations had no romantic interactions with any of his companions, or at most flirtations, but then came the Eighth Doctor. Min was surprised when in his excitement about regaining his memory, he joyously kissed Dr. Holloway, who rather breathlessly asked for another one.

She stopped the playback again and pondered this new development.

"What does it matter," she asked aloud after a few minutes of deep thought. "Dr. Jean was fully capable of loving people inappropriately…" she stopped, looked around the room and giggled, "...and no I won't apologize for saying it! I still say intimacy is reserved for your bondmate, period. But why wait for your seventh regeneration to look for love? As a matter of fact, if Susan was your granddaughter, why did you not show me your life and family before stealing the TARDIS? Surely you had a wife-"

The Doctor's voice permeated the room, his tone stern, "None of your business, I share what I wish and you are lucky to see this much!"

Min was quiet for a moment before responding. "You who are so nosey into everyone else's lives won't be scrutinized yourself? Foul! I call foul on you, rapscallion!"

"Do not use the words of my former self against me child, or I shall deposit you on the nearest planet never to return!"

"You would break ' _detah_ to ease your bruised ego?"

She could hear him stomping around outside the room before it finally got quiet.

"'Never did the world make a queen of a girl who hides in houses and dreams without traveling.' Roman Payne, The Wanderess." He sighed heavily, " _Encore une fois, vous m'avez mis chez moi. Je ne mérite pas votre amitié, mais je suis reconnaissant de l'avoir._ (Once again you have put me in my place. I do not deserve your friendship, but I am thankful to have it.)"

Her braids turned bright green again and she didn't try to stop it. "Apology accepted."

Overall, it was most amusing to watch him appear to get younger with the first four regenerations and then settle down with a 'mature-but-not-too-old' look for Doctors six through eight; though she did question his choice in clothing from time to time. The odd looking 'neck _lendeith_ ' of the Fourth Doctor was one of her favorites, but why did the fourth regeneration into the Fifth Doctor wear a plant on his jacket? However, there was still nothing that could compare to the Sixth Doctor's glorious coat of colors in Min's eyes.

And then came a surprise: the Ninth Doctor ***** . They never visited this eighth regeneration ***** , and she quickly understood why. Thankfully there was no video, just a picture of an old, rugged, gray-haired warrior. Words scrolled across the bottom of the screen telling how this Time Lord forsook the title Doctor, and gave a little information about the Time War. Min felt saddened by his face, so care-worn and old; the haunted look in his eyes turned her hair pale yellow.

Next came the ninth regeneration into the Tenth Doctor *****. Min could see the scars the Time War left on him and she understood his black ensemble from head to toe; this was a man in mourning.

She watched as he met Rose and saw how the young woman brought a smile back to the Doctor's face. He had someone to protect again, to show off for, and to take anywhere in the universe. Though his past actions haunted him, he strove to be what humanity needed, and more specifically what Rose needed.

This was one of the visits she remembered the moment she saw this Doctor on the screen, and paused the playback to remember that tragic event.

_Before they left the TARDIS, Doctor Jean told Min not to interfere with anything they saw, even if it meant someone were injured, or worse._

" _Can't have you changing a fixed point in time now, can we?"_

_As she was showing Min the beautiful gothic church, a small car came screeching around the corner and the man looked like he actually lept in front of it, ensuring his death. Min had turned her head, burying it in the Doctor's shoulder._

" _Look, Sweet Cheeks! The man will not die alone."_

_Min turned to see a young blonde woman rush out into the street and hold the dying man. She felt the myriad of emotions from those gathered, but those from a man in a black leather jacket were especially strong, and somehow familiar. The blonde woman eventually walked back to Leather Jacket Man, and he held her as she cried. Min couldn't help but notice that he was holding his friend almost_ exactly _like Dr. Jean was holding her now, and that's when the she kissed the top of Min's head and pulled her away from the scene, prattling on about a diner that served the most amazing chips._

Min smiled and wiped the tear from her cheek. "It must be nice, being able to go back and watch your actions from a different perspective. But once again, I wish I knew why you chose _that_ point in your life to return to."

She started the video again and saw the accident scene from afar for a moment before showing bits of other adventures Rose had with the Doctor. The Game Station looked frightening, but the video didn't show any reason for Rose to be suddenly glowing with what looked a lot like TARDIS energy which the Doctor absorbed from her with a kiss.

"What are you hiding now," Min thought as the Doctor regenerated for the tenth time. "Why not show me what happened?"

This new Doctor was rather skinny with wild brown hair, and was more emotionally complex than his predecessors from what Min could tell from the quick succession of video clips of him.

And then the current Doctor appeared onscreen, looking rather somber. "Min. I have much difficulty with this part of my life. My companions kept me balanced, and I loved them dearly for it. However, being still so close to the Time War any loss was amplified tenfold, and I was nearly broken more times than I can count."

Images of the Skinny Doctor with Rose Tyler, Martha Jones and Donna Noble each appeared onscreen as the Doctor continued. "These women were so important to my tenth regeneration, but I cannot choose videos to show you because even now it still hurts. So, what I shall do is let you remember when we visited them and hopefully, that will be enough."

"Dr. Jones and Mrs. Temple had been your companions?" Min cried. "The emotional familiarity I felt from them makes more sense now; it was because of their time with _you_."

She looked around the room and addressed the Doctor as if he were there with her. "You do know that I could feel your presence in my head when you wanted to see what I was up to with them, don't you? Like when I first met Dr. Jones at UNIT by walking in on her meeting with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart…Dr. Jean told me to go to UNIT an hour before my appointment time and I could _feel_ her watching through me. I figured there must have been something important you weren't sharing with me to keep me safe, and I was naive enough to believe it."

"But you turned the tables on me with Donna, you wicked creature." His voice echoed in the room playfully.

Min laughed. "You didn't even try to hide your presence when I was working for her! Lucky for me you, well the Dr. Jean you, were distracted by a new artifact arrival at the National Archives that fateful day, which gave me the perfect opportunity to suggest to Mrs. Temple we go visit and take a tour. I had only hoped Dr. Jean would see us together, not actually be our tour guide!"

"I still owe you forty lashes with a wet noodle for that, missy."

"Oh no, I was hoping you'd forgotten about that, Doctor!"

His belly laugh was genuine, and Min's bells joined in with their own tinkling joyous song. Once recovered she spoke to the room once more. "I never did understand why you suddenly decided we needed to live in 2010 London, or how you got me the position as Mrs. Temple's assistant, but that was a very enjoyable year. I really am honored to share the title of Companion with the likes of them. You pick your friends well, Doctor."

As if on cue, Captain Jack Harkness appeared on the screen and Min laughed aloud. " _Kalet moph_ , you rotten woman! I _knew_ he had travelled with you too. Honestly Doctor you have no shame!"

She paused the playback on Jack's face and giggled at the memory of meeting Captain Jack for the first time.

_They had found him in the Lynx constellation on the planet Wisteria at a locale called Carlie's Landing, a palatial estate where guests could live out any number of fantastic requests. According to the Doctor, it rivaled the pleasure planet of Risa._

_Jack first approached the women as they were walking around the grounds; Dr. Jean was telling Min about the Värik Käita Teralehtiä, commonly called the True Color Flower, when a man in a long dark blue coat approached them, swooped up one of the red flowers from the bush in front of them and presented it to Min._

" _For you, my lovely vermillion lady," he had purred at Min. The flower's long, wide petals were no longer red, but green and gold with tips of blue._

_She was so startled that her plum braids turned pink, and Jack's look of shock quickly morphed into his trademark sly smile._

" _Well, well. Looks like you have something in common with this lovely flower, Miss…"_

_Min stared at him in shock as the Doctor answered him sharply. "Min. My lady's name is Min, and I am Jean. And you are?"_

_Jack sobered and stood straight as a soldier. "Captain Jack Harkness, at your service, ladies. I did not mean to offend you."_

" _Well, you have, and you've ruined my surprise," the older of the two women said with irritation. "I was very much looking forward to seeing what the Värik Käita Teralehtiä would do at her touch, but now that she knows its secret, I'll never know. So thank you for that. Go find someone else to bother Captain, and leave us be. Come, Sweet Cheeks, we shall leave this rogue captain to his own devices."_

_That was all the challenge he needed and spent the rest of that day trying to get in "Jean Smythe's" good graces. Of course she made him work for it, and during a brief moment alone with Min, she reassured her companion that Jack was loving every minute of it, since she was dropping hints that he might have a rather enjoyable evening if he appeased her._

" _He means to bed us both, Sweet Cheeks, but don't worry, your chastity shall remain intact. We shall practice your telepathy tonight; do and say what I tell you and leave this charming rogue to me. He's quite harmless, though rather sexually driven. I have - Welcome back, Captain!"_

_After dinner and drinks they went back to Jack's cottage where he suggested a game of strip poker. The Doctor sent an idea to Min who agreed that it was certainly a better option than undressing._

" _I must play by a different set of rules, Captain," Min said solemnly._

" _Oh?"_

" _I will not judge another for not having my sexual morals; however I will not change mine to accommodate yours. I will not play your game by the rules you have just set before me, for to do so will dishonor Hakka'dosh."_

_Jean Smythe leaned toward Jack. "Hakka'dosh is The One. Their God, and I rather like Him when He's happy. Let's keep Him that way, shall we?"_

_Jack's entire demeanor changed toward Min as he placed his right hand over his heart and bowed to her._

" _Far be it from me, Lady Min, to force myself or my sexual mores upon someone against their will. And while your commentary was helpful, Jean, I would still honor Min's request. I will not have you dishonor Your One, or yourself, under any circumstances."_

" _It's 'The One,' and you really_ are _an honorable rogue," Jean Smythe quipped._

_Desire lit his eyes as he turned to her. "You don't have any religious or moral qualms that I should know about, do you?"_

_Jean smiled seductively, "None that you need to worry your handsome head about. I will certainly play by your rules."_

_He winked at her then turned back to Min. "So, if you won't play by my rules, what rules will suit you?"_

_Min's braids became a rainbow of colors, and she smiled at his wonderment. "I will show you this and more. If you are trustworthy, I might even let you hear my bells sing_."

_His eyebrows shot up in surprise and while his smile was devilish, the sincerity of his words was pure. "If Your One-"_

" _The One," the women chorused._

" _If_ The _One won't smite me dead, that is something I am looking forward to."_

_It was one of the best nights Min could remember, especially for the Doctor. It was apparent to Min that the Doctor knew this man quite well, though he didn't seem to know her, and she used that to her advantage. Jean was toying with him and having too much fun doing it. They laughed until they cried, told jokes and stories, had a pillow fight, and in the end, Min was fully clothed, the Doctor was down to her camisole and panties, and Jack… he had abandoned his clothes after the pillow fight and climbed into bed, covering himself with the sheet in deference to Min._

_Jean sat down hard on the bed to catch her breath from her last laughing fit when Jack leaned over and kissed her shoulder, then moved up to her neck._

" _Speaking for The One, you need to leave now," the Dr. Jean thought as Min turned almost as purple as her hair. "Don't speak, just leave. He won't notice."_

_She was right of course; Jack didn't notice Min had left. When the Doctor returned to their room in the early morning hours Min scolded the Time Lord._

" _I do not know this Jack Harkness, but you do. No! Do not explain anything. You traveled with him in a previous regeneration, didn't you? How could you do this to him, Doctor? Does he know whom he bedded last night?"_

_The Doctor drew Min into a gentle hug, placing her forehead onto Min's. "Oh my dear Sweet Cheeks, you are so pure and noble! Do you honestly believe I would hurt anyone I love in such an intimate way?"_

" _You just did," she pouted._

" _You know me better than that, child," the woman chided back. "He's a_ very _good kisser, and very attentive to foreplay detail;_ **_however_ ** _," she emphasized this word forcefully, yet with a twinkle, "_ **_I_ ** _am very good at describing to a ret-conned mind exactly what I want him to_ think _we did last night."_

_Min gasped and pulled her head back in shock. "Doctor Jean!"_

_The Doctor shrugged, "The man is entirely too fond of using Ret-con, Sweet Cheeks, and this was as good an opportunity as any to show him that. He had it coming, and only has himself to blame. If you had been there with me to see some of the things he's done… if you'dve seen it? I'll bet that you would've done the same."_

With a flush of emotion Min came out of her reverie, "I have to wonder if you ever told him who you really were that night."

His eleventh regeneration into the Twelfth Doctor* was the youngest looking since his fourth regeneration. As silly as this 'young' man appeared, there was still the pain and darkness of the Time War lurking behind his eyes, and he definitely had a dark he was also a clown with a love of bowties and little round, red hats.

Min enjoyed watching the Bowtie Doctor with his new companions Amy and Rory, and was intrigued by how River Song never seemed to meet up with the Doctor in a linear fashion. She was surprised at the revelation of River's parentage, but nothing could prepare her for the next video clip.

"She's your **_wife_ **? Oh, Doctor… how hard it must have been for the two of you."

She half expected the Doctor to reply, but it was a _female_ voice that gave utterance to the words she expected.

"It was harder than you know."

* * *

 

(REMINDER- this was written in the interim between the 2013 Christmas Special and Peter Capaldi's first series in 2014. My intention for this story was that Dr. Jean was the *only* female Doctor [hence AU], and I purposefully did not number her or any other Doctor after Capaldi because I wasn't sure there would ever be a female Doctor.)

*This is the numbering system I used when writing this section, and believe me, I put a lot of thought into it. The concept of "War Doctor" as a label or 'number' is unique to us as viewers since he was introduced as Canon during the (as we know it) 11th Doctor's time. So technically he is the 9th Doctor/8th regeneration, whether he took the name or not. I've added our traditional Doctor numbers as well to try and help keep things straight.

**Bold** indicates the **_change_ ** in our traditional numbering of the Doctor and his regenerations.

1st William Hartnell

2nd Patrick Troughton- 1st Regeneration

3rd Jon Pertwee- 2nd Regeneration

4th Tom Baker- 3rd Regeneration

5th Peter Davison- 4th Regeneration

6th Colin Baker- 5th Regeneration

7th Sylvester McCoy- 6th Regeneration

8th Paul McGann- 7th Regeneration

War Doctor- John Hurt - **_8th_ ** _Regeneration-_ **_9th Doctor_ **

9th- Christopher Eccleston- **_9th_ ** _Regeneration-_ **_10th Doctor_ **

10th- David Tennant- **_10th_ ** _Regeneration-_ **_11th Doctor_ **

11th- Matt Smith- **_11th_ ** _Regeneration-_ **_12th Doctor_ **

12th- Peter Capaldi- **_12th_ ** _Regeneration-_ **_13th Doctor_ **


	5. What the TARDIS knows

~  _ Klah ne'tya _ \- A formal greeting.

* * *

 

**_CHAPTER 5_ **

Min paused the playback and looked around for the owner of the voice.

"Hello? Who's there?"

An image materialized in front of her of a human-looking woman with long curling brown hair, wearing a light blue silk and lace dress with a bustle in the back. Min stood up and stared at the projection that was smiling back at her. There was something familiar about her...

The image spoke. " _ Klah ne'tya, Mano'te Mintu'pa-he Ekata." _

No one but her father ever used her full name, or her  _ future _ title of Monarch, since he was still  _ Mano'te _ . Her bells danced as the tips of her hair turned TARDIS blue, and Min knew that this was the ship in physical form.

" _ Klah ne'tya. _ .. uh..."

"The Doctor calls me Sexy. Hm, no. This form was called Idris."

Min smiled as the thrill of face to face communication with the TARDIS coursed through her body. " _ Klah ne'tya, Idris TARDIS _ ."

The image flickered and spluttered like a flame in the wind, then disappeared. Min could feel the TARDIS' frustration as she tried to re-establish the image. With a sudden burst of energy, the image of River Song appeared, smoothed her hair, winked at Min and shifted into the image of Idris again.

"Ah, that's better," Idris said. "The Missus was right about the particle projector; very finicky."

The Doctor's companion knew the ship was a living being, but it was still slightly scary to be face to face with her.  _ Face to face _ ….

"I didn't know you could take… no, you  _ can't _ take physical form, the Doctor said so herself! So how are you…?"

"The Missus did it," Idris said, a coy smile on her lips. "We have a link, you know," she tapped the side of her head, "because she was conceived here whilst in the Time Vortex."

Min looked confused, and then realized who Idris was referring to. " _ River  _ did this?"

Idris nodded, "Yes. One night as we were returning her to her cell in Stormcage, she felt my presence rather strongly. She came into the control room and I appeared to her in this form through our psychic link; after all, she  _ is _ a child of Time and relative dimensions in space. She always knew I was the Doctor's first love, and felt my sadness at being unable to be a physical presence. So, she spent a few hours upgrading my circuits with a particle projector, very much like a Higgs-Boson field does for photons."

"So, why haven't you taken form before now? Why waste your energies, which I assume are limited, on me?"

The form of Idris began to glow as she reached out to touch Min's face. The Meydidian was startled to actually  _ feel _ the touch, though she knew it was her own limited empathic ability that allowed the TARDIS to make that connection.

"My dear Sweet Cheeks," Idris cooed in a perfect mimic of the female Doctor's voice, "do you truly think so little of your importance to us?"

Min could feel the love the TARDIS had for her, but also a shadow of how her Doctor and the newest regeneration felt for her too, and she cried.

"She is still there, you know," Idris continued, "I mean,  _ your _ Doctor. Different, but the same." She glanced at the video monitor and it started to play from where Min had paused it when Idris first appeared. "Ah yes, the twelfth regeneration **_**_ ** of his first cycle. That's what he looked like when I was put into this body."

"I haven't seen the twelfth regeneration yet," Min replied. "That's her… his eleventh regeneration into the Twelfth Doctor."

Idris' eyes narrowed, glowing orange for just a moment before smiling at Min. "He didn't show you  _ that _ , as proud as he was of himself? Well, I can fix that!"

With a snap of her fingers the video changed to the Skinny Suit Doctor again. He was running toward Rose when he was suddenly enveloped in a flash of light as he was grazed by a dalek ray gun. He collapsed, and as Rose and Donna ran to his aid, Capt. Jack Harkness appeared out of thin air with a  **_very_ ** large blaster and disintegrated the dalek. The trio quickly moved the injured Doctor into the TARDIS where he began to regenerate.

Min watched in awe as the same golden energy that took the female Doctor from her started in this Doctor's hand and then blasted from both hands, his head and feet.

Jack held both Donna and Rose and they turned their heads into his chest to shield their eyes from the blazing light, occasionally glancing at the Doctor as the regeneration continued. Even though it was a video, Min felt the Time Lord's delight the moment he realized the severed hand was right there and willed his arms to swing to his left and force the regeneration energy into the container with the hand inside.

When the cycle was complete, the light faded and the trio looked at the Doctor… who hadn't changed at all.

" _ Well then, where were we," he said a little shakily. Donna was agog, never having witnessed regeneration before, while Rose and Jack were understandably confused. _

_ He walked over to the now glowing container holding his hand, squatted down and gently blew away the residual energy. _

" _ There now. You see?" _

_ The three companions were utterly flummoxed, so he began one of his trademark rapid-fire explanations. "Used the regeneration energy to heal myself, but soon as I was done, I didn't need to change. I didn't want to. Why would I? Look at me. So, to stop the energy going all the way, I siphoned off the rest into a handy bio-matching receptacle, namely my hand." _

_ He looked at Rose, "My hand there. My handy spare hand. Remember? Christmas Day, Sycorax? Lost my hand in a sword fight? That's my hand. What do you think?" _

_ Rose walked toward him with caution until they were face to face. "You're… you're still you?" _

" _ I'm still me." _

The image froze on the Doctor and Min walked to the screen and touched the image of his unchanged face. "So it was a regeneration, but he didn't change. Could she have stayed the same without having a bio-receptacle?"

Idris gave her a sad smile, "I think you will find that she is more comfortable being the he that he always was. I am sorry, Min."

"I see," Min said sadly.

"You aren't the first or last companion to suffer this loss; think about what my poor Thief has endured throughout his lifetime! You think you're the only one who loved her, or him?"

Idris looked at the monitor and it sprang to life with images Min had not yet seen: the actual regenerations from man to man, and the reactions of the various companions each time it happened. And then the scenes changed to the Doctor as he lost Adric, Jamie and Zoe, Rose…

"Stop, I understand!" Min buried her face in her hands, refusing to watch anymore.

Idris was smiling at her as the screen went dark. "His hearts are larger than anyone could ever imagine; he cares so deeply for his companions and friends that I am sometimes afraid it will break him."

The video monitor leapt to life again as the TARDIS scanned through her video files. There was a Doctor Min hadn't seen yet, wearing black sunglasses and a dark coat lined with red. He had a female companion that looked considerably younger than he did, followed quickly by a bald man and a young black woman with very large hair. The images moved faster and faster, preventing Min from seeing anything else clearly before the screen abruptly blinked off.

"Oh dear, I got ahead of myself. You still need to finish seeing the Doctor that I met in  _ this _ form before I show you the rest."

"The rest?"

Idris smiled. "Oh yes, the  **_rest_ ** _.  _ All the things you should know about him, her, and us. Yes, we will finish what he wanted you to see, and  _ then _ ," she drew Min close, touching their foreheads together and whispered, "I will show you what he won't: The Master, The Time War, and why he became a woman."

* * *

 

**Numbering of Doctors**

****** This is how Idris counts her Thief, and the "correct" numbering from this point on. I know it's confusing and I apologize!

(Per Steven Moffett [whether you agree or not, lol], David Tennant did regenerate but kept his same look in Journey's End, thus keeping true to the allowed 12 regenerations when the true 9th Doctor (War) is included.)

Doctor:

8th Paul McGann- 7th regeneration

9th John Hurt- 8th regeneration

10th Christopher Eccleston- 9th regeneration

11th David Tennant- 10th regeneration

12th David Tennant again- 11th regeneration

13th Matt Smith- 12th regeneration

14th Peter Capaldi- 13th regeneration (1st in new cycle)

* * *

 

_ ~ A few days later~ _

"What are you up to, old girl," the Doctor asked the handful of wires and cables in his left hand. "You know I don't like it when you don't behave."

The console sparked little electric bolts into the air in response.

"So that's how it's going to be, is it? Well then, daddy is going to have to take you over his knee-"

"You're not my 'daddy', and I've behaved myself quite nicely since your regeneration," Min replied as she came into the room, "though I can't say the same for you with your twirly skirt."

The Doctor dropped the bundle and stood up too quickly, smacking his head on the bottom of the console. "Blast it, Min! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

His companion shook her head. "I came in  _ singing _ , Doctor. How much more noise do you need? Anyway, you've been avoiding me for the past few days and I'm concerned. Have I done anything wrong?"

"Nope. Nothing wrong. Just getting used to being male again," he said quickly. "I feel like I did when I was granted a new regeneration cycle: not so touchy-feely."

"Liar."

"Look here, girl," he blustered, "you don't know the first thing about how regeneration feels, what it does to my body, how everything changes."

_ Changes. _ The Doctor's mind was open to her for a split second and she realized what he meant. He wasn't referring to just the physical changes of regeneration, but their ability to travel together, once again leaving him alone.

"I won't let your new form change our travelling arrangement," Min said forcefully. "As the next in line to the throne, I am expected to understand our world, and be open to the alien races that we may encounter. For that reason, the Elders allowed me to travel with you, the  _ female _ you. Have I not proven my devotion to  _ Hakka'dosh's _ holy word time and again? Even Jack Harkenss respected me!"

"Min…"

"No, don't say it, Doctor. The Holy Writ says we are to stay pure for our Life Partner, knowing no one but them. The Elders have taken that to mean male and female who aren't related or married can't travel abroad without a chaperone, or appear together in a way that would make others believe they were paired. My father always challenged me to ask questions, even of those who we are to revere and obey like the Elders. I have done so and also studied the Holy Writ to make sure I am not blindly following meaningless words but the true intention of the Word Giver."

"Doll Face please…"

His companion kept right on talking. "I respect the fact that we should avoid the appearance of a bonded couple; in fact I encourage it. But there are so many examples of non-bonded male/female partnerships given to us by  _ Hakka'dosh _ that I questioned Elder Nalte about it, and she took it up before the counsel to review their understanding!"

She began to laugh. "What  _ they _ don't understand is just how many races thought that  _ we were mated _ ! The very reason they wouldn't let me travel with a man is exactly what what was assumed of our relationship as females. Your current gender should change  _ nothing! _ It's the perception of the Elders that dictates-"

"Min stop!"

The Doctor approached her, putting his hand on her face as his female self did so many times before. "Mintu'pa-he Ekata. You are the future Monarch of your world, and  **_I_ ** will not upset The One just to keep you with me. If ever I were to follow a divine being, yours would be the one, Swe..err, Doll Face. You cannot toss aside your faith, or your responsibility to your people, to stay with me; we cannot travel together forever."

His companion placed her hand on top of his as her tears wet them both. "But  **_I_ ** want to decide when that time has come, Doctor, not be told by you or the Elders. You've traveled with many women as a male and no one told them they couldn't because you weren't married, and there was nothing wrong with that.  **_I_ ** want to have that kind of experience too! And I don't want to be wrenched away from you like Amy and Rory-"

He stared at Min and she felt his rage. The  **_TARDIS_ ** had shown her their heartbreaking parting in the graveyard, not him, and she couldn't close her mind fast enough to hide it from him.

"You  _ showed _ her?" His eyes were blue flames as he turned his attention to the ship itself. "If I'd wanted to share that I would have!"

The word 'LIAR' appeared on one of the view screens and all hell broke loose. He raged at the TARDIS, hitting her console, kicking cabinets and even went down below to open the hatch to her inner workings. But the TARDIS would not be baited by him.

The Doctor stood in the middle of control room and roared in rage, "How could you  _ do _ this to me? Those are my private memories, my personal grief! You had no right, do you hear?  **No right** !"

"She had every right to know, Doctor. You've shared more of space and time with her than any companion before her, with the exception of Susan."

The Doctor and Min looked up in surprise to see Amy standing before him.

"I didn't ask for a voice interface," he growled and lunged at her and the image disappeared only to reappear ten feet away. "And I certainly didn't ask to see you!"

"You've shared more of your hearts with her than you realize- besides being empathic she also has some limited telepathic abilities, remember? You showed her more than I expected you too, but you left out a great deal as well."

There was proper emotion and inflection that the voice interface never had before, causing the Doctor to become angrier. "I don't have to tell anyone anything," he snapped back.

"Of course you don't, but she deserved to know why the woman she traveled with was so sad on some adventures. And no, you're not as good at hidin' your feelings as ya think ya are."

He stood there glaring at the image of Amy to gather his thoughts. "Just what did you share with her, old girl?"

The image changed and Martha Jones stood before them. "Stuff you wouldn't, like parts of the Time War, and some of our many meetings with The Master, and Missy."

All the color drained from his face.

"And now she understands  _ why _ you revisited your own timeline! And it's lucky for you she can change her skin color from red to black," Martha continued. "One simple thought and voila! She fit right in. But you forgot that she's empathic and could sense that these people were important to you, and she could feel the weight of your sadness and responsibility for them."

"Meydidians are too polite for their own good," he grumped. "Don't want to offend anyone so they just keep their mouths shut."

"But you don't like the quiet types," Donna Noble sassed back. "So why her? Oohh, because she  _ wouldn't ask. _ Well isn't that wizard!"

"Stop it," he shouted and took a swing at the image of Donna. "What game are you at, eh? The voice interface doesn't show emotion, remember? I told little Amelia I could be brave for her as I was dying by the lips of my own wife, and she kept telling me, 'I am not Amelia Pond, I am a voice interface.' No emotion, no worry for me."

He was pacing now, curiosity piqued by this new development. "But then, by some miracle, she uttered the words I needed: fish fingers and custard. But still no emotion. What has gotten into you, Old Girl?"

The image of Donna shimmered and started to change, becoming River Song. She winked at the Doctor and uttered one word.

"Spoilers!"

"You're not playing fair," his voice trembled.

"Life isn't fair," Rose replied as the image changed again. "You offered us adventure and excitement, danger and thrills. You didn't make us do anything we didn't want to. And while things did happen to us because we were with you, we knew there were risks, and we were willing to take them."

Rose changed to Susan, then in rapid succession Victoria, Jamie, Polly, Ben, Steven, Liz, The Brigadier, Turlough, Peri, Adric, Rory, Leela, Bill and finally stopped on Sarah Jane.

"You are worth the risk; you are worth saving, and worthy of love. Can't you see that?"

He was shaking now, his hearts racing each other to get out of his chest. His emotions were so strong he couldn't get any words out, and his companion had had enough.

"Idris TARDIS, please!"

The Doctor spun around to her in shock. "What... what did you call her?"

"She called me Bitey-Mad-Lady." Idris stood before him, and the Doctor just stared at her in awe.

"Surprise, my Thief."

He reached for the hologram, "Idris, but how?"

The image shimmered with orange light and then split into two.

"Hello, Sweetie." A myriad of emotions crossed the Time Lord's face as he stared at Idris and River Song. "Surprised, are we? Good, I'd hoped we could pull this off."

"This," he pointed at the two of them, "this is  **not possible** ."

His wife approached him and touched his face gently. "Of course it's possible, my love. Haven't you learned by now that  **_I_ ** am the clever one?"

"But, how?"

"Oh, a little tweak here, a little circuit upgrade there… particle projectors can be such finicky things. But a quick trip to visit Mr. Peter Higgs in 1964 for a little clarification was all I needed. I know protons are different from bosons, but I made it work and voila! Here we are; although my time is just about up. I did this on our way back to Stormcage on one of our amazing dates as a thank you for all you've done for me. She really is more Wife to you than I am. Goodbye, my love."

River's image faded out and Idris' became clearer. She smiled at the Doctor with a look of pure joy. "Hello, Thief. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you; you should know that by now."

She brushed her hand across his cheek and he closed his eyes as if able to feel her touch. "Oh my Doctor, why do you continue to suffer so? Why do you think you deserve pain when all of your companions chose to be with you, no matter the cost? Rose, Donna, Martha, Amy and Rory, Clara, Bill... you made them better. Yes even Donna who lost it all and can't remember. That's why you went back and met each of them as a woman, isn't it? To see how they lived their lives and to prove to yourself that you didn't destroy them."

Idris had maneuvered him to his favorite chair he kept by the stairs leading underneath her console and sat him down. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed, allowing his hearts to break and bleed freely.

Min couldn't take his pain any longer and took him in her arms, rocking him like a child. She sang a song of praise to Hakka'dosh in her native tongue as her bells played the simple melody. She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but she knew the Doctor had never allowed any of his regenerations the peace of forgiveness. This was the first time he had ever been vulnerable in front of any companion to this degree, and she cherished the honor.

When he was able to compose himself Min took his face in her red hands. "I wish you had told me, Doctor. We could have worked together... but that is truly the past now. Idris TARDIS has shown me so much more than you wanted, I know; but so many things make sense now! I see that you really  _ needed _ to become a woman to give yourself a different point of view. It enabled you to see your past and learn from it. It made you brave, it made you strong."

"I wish I had a snappy retort," he said candidly, "but it would be a lie."

Min nodded, "You have guarded your lonely, wounded heart for far too long. While I don't know everything, I know enough about what the Time War did to you. I also know that you have been home and what that meant to you."

The Doctor looked over at Idris who gave him a 'Who, me?' look and smiled.

"As your friend, I would like to see your ninth regeneration," she paused, counting on her fingers, "yes, the regeneration after the man who would not take the name of Doctor, forward to the woman I met, through  _ your _ eyes."

  
  



	6. Life through his eyes

**_CHAPTER 6_ **

She took four silver braids of her  _ lendieth _ and held them out to the Doctor. He took them and let the bells rest on his open palm.

"Red, purple, white and gold. The Family Bells of Sharing, yes?"

Min nodded, her smile loving. "After seven years or more together I would like to think we are, even if you are not now the person I knew all those years."

He closed his hand around the bells, and closed his eyes.

Min was shocked at the clarity of vision she had from him and watched as his tenth incarnation** met Rose and shared in their adventures. This war-weary and burdened Time Lord found that his hearts were invaded by Rose's wild spirit and her faith in him, laying the smallest foundation for him to start to rebuild his own broken world. She loved him and he loved her, though this regeneration would never admit it in words; his actions however, saved her life and spoke volumes.

When the tenth incarnation absorbed the TARDIS energy from Rose and began to regenerate, the Doctor saw the questions forming in her mind.

'You want to know why Rose wasn't killed outright, yet I didn't last more than a few minutes.'

'I would think a Time Lord could handle that better than a frail mortal body.'

'Time Lord consciousness is on a similar plane of consciousness to that of the TARDIS,' he thought back. 'I couldn't show Rose how frightened I was, having another consciousness inside me, intensifying my own vision and reality. Even after I put the Old Girl back where she belonged, it was too much. I had to regenerate.'

'So,' she thought as she watched him regenerate for the tenth time. 'The TARDIS could protect Rose because it is a higher consciousness than humans, or humanoids, but having an equal consciousness to your own triggered regeneration?'

'You are a credit to your people, and will be a wise leader.'

The eleventh Doctor fell more in love with Rose and found joy again, until she was nearly sucked into The Void, but he still lost her to a parallel universe. Min and the Doctor both cried as he shared what he thought at that time was their final parting at Bad Wolf Bay.

Then came Martha Jones the day she met the Doctor. As Min watched his memories unfold, she realized he knew exactly how Martha felt about him all along.

'Why didn't you just tell her you weren't interested instead of making her feel like a fool?'

'Because she needed to do it herself. I can't explain how I knew that, but I did. And look at how she turned out! UNIT, saving the world from the Master, and falling in love with Mickey-the-idiot. Who by the way, wasn't half bad after all.'

Min nodded as she remembered seeing Martha and Mickey Smith on their wedding day, not realizing she was now sharing her memory with the Doctor.

_ They had just made it to the chapel before the service started, posing as higher-ups from UNIT. It was a small affair but easy enough to blend in, and Min had felt the Doctor's pride when their dresses were complemented by Martha's mother. _

" _ Took me days to put together the right ensemble," she whispered to Min as Mrs. Jones walked away. "Men have it so easy! A nice suit, fix your hair and bam! Done. We women however, oh what a headache!" _

The true meaning of what said was suddenly clear to Min and she broke their connection as a fit of hysterics overtook her.

"I didn't think it was that funny," the Doctor said with a dismissive air. "If you're done laughing at me, I'd like to finish seeing  _ your _ memories now, if you please?"

_ Martha looked stunning in a simple strapless white gown, and Mickey couldn't take his eyes off of her. After the ceremony the Doctor and Min went back to the TARDIS and jumped ahead five or so years to find the Smiths walking in a park. Martha had a very large belly that Mickey kept placing his hand on which confused Min until the Doctor told her how humans reproduced. She had felt the Doctor's pride in them that day and now she understood it so much more. _

'They are truly happy together, because of you.'

And then came Donna. He tried to shy away from it but Min drew the Doctor back to this special companion. This one was truly his best mate (right up there with Sarah Jane) and he would have done anything for her. She didn't take any of his sass or attitude and had no idea how brilliant, amazing and beautiful she really was behind that brash exterior.

'She really was my better half,' the Doctor thought as he shared his memories of Donna with Min. 'I was better with her.'

'She took care of you, and you took care of her,' Min replied in thought. 'She understood you, I think, like I am learning to understand you now. She wanted you to allow yourself to grieve, to feel, to love. She hasn't changed, you know. When you sent me, well when Doctor Jean to be her companion, I could sense your feelings for her, and I knew you were watching through me. Even though she had wealth, she was still a real person. And no, I still will not apologize for bringing her to our flat that afternoon for tea; after you recovered your senses you seemed so happy to be with her. She was a special lady.'

They watched him remember how Donna fought to save the life of just one person in Pompeii, and convinced the Doctor to save Caecilius' whole family. Min broke their mental connection and spoke aloud.

"Doctor, why did your thirteenth regeneration** become Caecilius?"

He sighed, rubbing his eyes with thumb and forefinger and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I didn't 'become' him, I simply used his likeness for a regeneration. His face was a reminder to myself to always try to save people, no matter the consequences; and an ode to Donna. But we haven't reached that point in my life yet. Did you know," he crossed his legs under himself on the couch and leaned towards Min, "more than once she said she was 'just a temp from Cheswick,' but she was so very much more than that."

Min looked confused, "What's 'just a temp from Cheswick'?"

"Well, a 'temp' is short for a temporary employee in a business. If something needed to be done but a company didn't want to hire someone for a short term project, they would use a qualified 'temp' to get the job done. Some people looked down on those who only held temporary positions, making them feel less than those who had permanent jobs."

He waited for her to acknowledge his reply, but she was staring at nothing, not paying attention to him at all.

"Hello in there," he snapped his fingers at her and brought her back to reality.

"I'm sorry," she replied with a sheepish smile, "that phrase sounds familiar somehow, but I can't place it. I thought that maybe your explanation would help, but it didn't."

He grinned back at her, "That's nothing new, now is it? But back to Donna. I think her most brilliant moment was when we went to the Shadow Proclamation because Earth had disappeared, and the Shadow Architect…" he smiled at the memory and reached for her braids again, "well, I think it's better if you watch."

' _ Callufrax Minorr. Jahoo. Shallacatop. Woman Wept. Clom. Clom's gone? Who'd want Clom?' _

' _ All different sizes,' the Architect replied. 'Some populated, some not. But all unconnected.' _

' _ What about Pyrovillia,' Donna asked. _

_ The Architect looked at her with disdain. 'Who is the female?' _

' _ Donna. I'm a human being. Maybe not the stuff of legend but every bit as important as Time Lords, thank you.' _

Min could feel the Doctor's pride in Donna's words; not only did she stand up for herself, but the entire human race as well.

_ Donna looked back to the Doctor, _ ' _ Way back, when we were in Pompeii, Lucius said Pyrovillia had gone missing.' _

_ The judoon guard responded, 'Pyrovillia is cold case. Not relevant.' _

' _ How do you mean, cold case?' _

' _ The planet Pyrovillia cannot be part of this, the Architect said. 'It disappeared over two thousand years ago.' _

' _ Yes, yes, hang on,' Donna persisted. 'But there's the Adipose breeding planet, too. Miss Foster said that was lost, but that must've been a long time ago.' _

' _ That's it,' the Doctor cried after pondering her words. 'Donna, brilliant! Planets are being taken out of time as well as space. Let's put this into 3-D.' _

_ With a few commands entered on the screen by the Doctor, a hologram of the twenty-four missing planets appeared in the center of the room. _

' _ Now, if we add Pyrovillia,' the planet appeared amongst the others, 'and Adipose Three... Something missing. Where else, where else, where else... lost, lost, lost, lost. Oh! The Lost Moon of Poosh!' _

_ With the last sphere added, the 'planets' suddenly reorganize themselves, shocking the onlookers. _

' _ What did you do?' The fear in the Architect's voice was real. _

' _ Nothing. Oh..' the Doctor responded in awe, 'The planets rearranged themselves into the optimum pattern.' He stood in the center of the hologram, appreciating what just happened. 'Oh, look at that. Twenty seven planets in perfect balance. Come on, that is gorgeous.' _

' _ Oi, don't get all  _ "spaceman _ ," Donna sassed at him. 'What does it mean?' _

Min had to supress a giggle at Donna being… Donna.

'She saved the whole universe that day, though I thought I'd lost her and my Old Girl in the core of the Crucible.'

He showed Min his capture by the Daleks but before he could continue he was interrupted as Idris entered their minds.

She was standing behind them, a hand positioned on each of their shoulders; a touch neither could feel but could see in their minds.

'Let me show you, my Thief. There is much you don't know.'

Min and the Doctor both drew in sharp breaths at the chaos and crystal clarity of vision they received from Idris' touch.

"Give it a moment," she whispered aloud to ease the attack on their cerebral cortices.

To feel what the TARDIS felt was an experience neither of them would ever forget. Even the Doctor, not locked into a linear time mindset like Min, was astonished. She saw everything differently, from colors to people and even space itself. But right now, her memory was of Donna: a being with an indigo core, radiating out into pinks, blues, greens and yellows. Except for her head and hands, which were a similar color to the energy of the TARDIS, but with more red.

'Did you always see her this way,' the Doctor queried.

'Yes,' Idris replied. 'Always. And I was always aware of her existence- her energy called to me.'

'You mean the Huron particles in you could sense the Huon par-'

'Before she ever was, I was aware of her existence. The form Idris could not,  **_I_ ** could. Don't confuse us,' Idris chided. 'I was always looking for our right time to be, and even when she joined us in our adventures, our time was not yet come. Until the Crucible.'

It took a few attempts for Idris to "calibrate herself" to two completely different minds, but with the Doctor's help eventually Min was able to understand how the TARDIS communicated with words, images and emotions simultaneously. The story she told was stunning.

_The full Dalek Empire… they are toying with me, no! Do_ ** _not_** _take my people, my Thief… Shields falling, gone. I am helpless, their prisoner. But Donna glows with power she cannot see; the biocontainer with my Thief's hand glows like me… like… her. I hear his heartbeats and so does she. But it is different, somehow wrong… wrong!_

_ The Crucible. They will destroy the Universe! I have no power, I cannot protect those inside… Ah, Rose, my Sister-Carrier, you speak the truth to Donna: all timelines do converge on her. She does not understand how important she is, how wonderful. _

The TARDIS could feel she was overwhelming Min and paused to let her catch her breath. She spoke to the Doctor's mind only, sensing his deep concern.

'It is all past now.'

'I had no idea you… I mean I knew, well know you're alive, of that there was never question. You  _ feel  _ so much more than I realized. I'm so sorry, Old Girl.'

She gave him a mental caress, 'At one time, Time Lords knew. But some grew greedy and evil so we shielded ourselves from you so we could not be corrupted. But you know now. There, Min has recovered, I shall continue.

_ Donna, our time is come. Universal Saviour, please… I don't want to die a prisoner of Daleks. I hear my thief's hearts beating, and the others, so afraid. But there is one more heartbeat, one more human. Donna hears it… the others speak with false bravado but there is no escape for us now. Where is this other human? Why can't you hear it, my Thief? _

_ The companions are frightened and I cannot help. My Thief encourages each of them as he opens my door. Please Doctor, don't. _

_ The humans follow, but The Universal Savior is brighter now; she hears the human heart inside and the horror outside of me; she pauses just before my door and turns to gaze at my console. My matrix yearns for a touch of her incredible power… _

_ The Doctor calls for her to follow… she obeys… no,  _ **_no_ ** _! Our Time is Now! _

_ I close and lock my door against the daleks and my Thief. The Saviour remains with me. _

_ She beats me in terror, her fear powerful, yet our destiny is stronger.. _

For the first time in his existence the Doctor watched his own memories unfold in his mind, combined with those of another living being. He could feel the TARDIS' pleasure at providing him a new experience.

_ "Doctor, Doctor what have you done?" _

_ "It wasn't me, I didn't do anything!" _

_ "Oi! Oi, I'm not staying behind!" _

_ "What did you do?" _

_ "This is not of Dalek origin." _

_ "Doctor!" _

_ "Stop it. She's my friend, now open the door and let her out." _

_ "This is time lord treachery!" _

_ "Me? The door just closed on its own!" _

_ "Nevertheless, the TARDIS is a weapon, and it will be destroyed." _

Min could feel their anguish at the memory, and it brought her to tears. The love each had for the other was intense, and she could clearly see through their triad connection just how shattered the Doctor had been when a trap door opened beneath the TARDIS and it vanished from sight. She could see the freefall from the ship's perspective, the Doctor running to the empty space to look down as the TARDIS fell from sight, as well as the TARDIS watching him disappear from above.

It was all very surreal.

" _ What are you doing? Bring it back!" _

As he said this, they could see Donna being tossed around in the falling TARDIS, crying out for the Doctor as they fell.

" _ What have you done? Where is it going?" _

" _ The Crucible has a heart of Z-nutrino energy. The TARDIS will be deposited into the core." _

" _ But you can't, you've taken the defenses down...It'll be  _ **_torn apart_ ** _!" _

_ How can I protect Donna… I'm powerless, no shields, no defenses… THIEF I NEED YOU! Z-nutrinos burning from the outside in; the pain, the pain! My interior isn't designed for this pressure… what if I kill the Saviour with shards of glass? Yes, come to the console, I will protect you there. Make yourself small…. _

At this point Idris separated the memory streams at the request of the Doctor. Even he was having trouble keeping things straight so he knew Min was struggling.

" _ But Donna's still in there," Rose said firmly. _

_ Jack followed closely with, "Let'er go!" _

" _ The female and the TARDIS will perish together. Observe." _

_ The Doctor spun around to look at the viewscreen above, then walked toward it, watching in shock and pain as the TARDIS was engulfed by Z-nutrino energy. _

" _ The last child of Gallifrey is powerless." _

" _ Please," he didn't try to hide his pain as he faced the Dalek, "I'm begging you, I'll do anything!" He looked back at screen in anguish, his breathing hard and visible to all. "Put me in her place. You can do anything to me, Idon'tcarejustgetheroutofthere!" _

Min reached for the Doctor's hand in sympathy and support. She was thankful the TARDIS couldn't add the emotions of Jack and Rose or she might have collapsed under the intensity.

He opened his eyes at her touch and smiled gratefully, and nodded in response to her mouthed question, "Are you okay?" He was thankful the scene changed back to the interior of the TARDIS and no longer focused on him.

_ Smoke, fire, explosions… the human needs clean oxygen or she will die. She is on her knees choking and crying and I can do nothing. But the Heart beats for us, a steady boom-boom, boom-boom. The cacophony fades away from us; the Saviour is calm, almost trance-like but also slightly confused, and diverts her attention to the hand in the bio-receptacle. She is drawn to it, slowly taking her hand off the ground and reaching out for the container. Our Time has come! _

_ I can feel her power as it is drawn into the hand; my own matrix reaches out and connects to them, causing the container to shatter. My exterior is not far from destruction when He is born, a human Time Lord, one heart beating in his chest... Our destiny is fulfilled. _

The image of Donna touching the biocontainer, the hand lying on the grating of the TARDIS suddenly bright with regeneration light becoming a humanoid male was as clear in Min's mind as if she had seen it herself. Which confused her because this scene was so  _ familiar _ to her and yet this was the first time she had ever seen it… just a temp, Donna Noble...

" _ Kalet moph!" _

The Doctor scowled, "Min, I have never seen myself regenerate in this way before, why must you-"

"Doctor, don't you understand? We have sung her song for generations!"

Idris smiled, her orange glow tinged with more yellow as her happiness became more apparent.

"What are you on about, girl?"

"The song I taught you, ' _Dan'ahobel jhas-ta'tenp_ _froomchaz'ek'_. Doctor, that's about **_Donna_**!"

The Doctor looked up at her, blue eyes wide and began to sing the song in Meydidian. After a moment he stopped, looking puzzled. "I just realized that I've always sung it in your language, and the TARDIS never translated it." He looked up at Idris, who just smiled.

"If I had it would have broken your hearts my dear Thief, to hear the translation. Min, please sing the song so my Thief will know what your world thinks of Donna."

_ Give praise to The One for His great glory and power, _

_ His ways are not our ways, who alone is like Him? _

_ The One chooses His vessels to accomplish His work _

_ Though some may never know the glory of it. _

_ The power of The One, guide and protect you, _

_ The power of The One gives Life, Like a doctor _

_ Healing the sick! Dan'ahobel jhas-ta'tenp froomchaz'ek _

_ Heard the word of The One; she touched the Healer's Hand _

_ And gave of herself, her life force and his creating life! _

_ From the hand of the Healer came the Physician, _

_ One heart, and they shared knowledge and pride. _

_ Yet he also gave the Chosen One his own power and knowledge, _

_ Which the Evil One made complete in trying to destroy her. _

_Dan'ahobel jhas-ta'tenp_ _froomchaz'ek, meek but powerful!_

_ Afraid and fearless, she alone could accomplish _

_ The will of The One. She would destroy the Evil One _

_ By the Physician's Hand. _

_ But her victory came at a price: the two combined _

_ Could not be in one contained. The DonnaPhysician was dying… _

Min paused and embraced the Doctor tightly as his tears wet her shirt; no words were needed between them. They stood that way for several minutes before Idris picked up the song where Min had stopped and finished it for them.

_ But her victory came at a price: the two combined _

_ Could not be in one contained. The DonnaPhysician was dying; _

_ The Healer could not lose another part of his soul again, _

_ And to keep her alive he removed himself from her, _

_ Along with all memory of him and their travels together. _

_ The One ordained us to remember for her, to keep her _

_ Memory alive for all eternity, so the universe will know _

_ Of her sacrifice to save us all. We praise The One for _

_ Donna Noble, just a temp from Cheswick. _

"I find this a most fitting remembrance," the Doctor said brusquely and waved off the handkerchief his companion offered. "It has done my hearts good to know that she is truly revered to this day. My tears will dry on their own."

He turned to the humanoid form of his TARDIS and wagged a finger at her. "You are a cheeky devil, and I may never forgive you for what you've done to me today."

"Oh posh, rubbish and balderdash. You shall forgive me," she sassed back, "or I will bite you again and again until you do!"

The Doctor smiled, "Now  _ there's  _ the bitey mad lady, back in top form! I shall forgive you, wife, but I shall never forget."

Idris smiled as she did at their first parting and nodded. "Good. Now, I must once again say 'hello, Doctor; it was so very nice to meet you.' But fear not, I am always here. And hello to you as well, Mintu'pa-he Ekata. May you rule well and be the strength of your people."

She sent two tendrils of light from the center of her form out to the Doctor and his companion, touching each mind with a gentle caress. As the light dissipated from around them, her form shimmered and then was gone.

The two friends sat in satiated silence, unaware of anything else but their own mental connection and the lingering touch of the TARDIS matrix for several more hours until they both fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  
  



	7. You're Always a Companion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The re-write was finished prior to the airing of the 2017 Christmas Special, so not having solid memories of Clara was still canon.

 

**_CHAPTER 7_ **

The next day the Doctor offered to share the rest of his memories without her even asking. Min cried knowing that it was Donna's grandfather Wilf to whom the prophecy referred, starting the Doctor's twelfth and final regeneration. She enjoyed watching the Pond-Williams's through the Doctor's eyes, especially knowing he knew and understood how much Amy always loved Rory more than life itself, even when it broke his hearts.

Idris had shown bits of Clara and the Doctor to Min, and told her why he wasn't allowed to remember more than just an impression of her. Min now realized that this was a reverse of what the Doctor had done to Donna, and her heart hurt for her friend as he spoke of the one he could no longer truly remember.

"And then I travelled with someone named...," he paused as he tried to remember. "Clara, I think. I don't seem to remember much about her, other than I know she was with me when I regenerated, and we had lots of adventures. But then there was Bill! Oh you remind me so much of her..."

There were many more companions along with a few more regenerations before the Doctor had finally caught her up to his regeneration into Doctor Jean Smythe.

"Now I understand our visits with them so much more. Thank you, Doctor. I'm glad we were able to spend time with all of them, even if they didn't know who you were. Except for your _wife_ , who was very suspicious of us."

"River is suspicious of everyone, Min."

"Well, I think I've had enough for a while. I need a nap!"

He smiled at her and dashed to the TARDIS console and started flipping and toggling wildly. "Oh Sweet Doll Face Cheeks, I know exactly where to take you for a nap, and a good rest too!"

"My bedroom will suffice, Doctor…"

"Yes yes of course it will," he waved a hand at her absently as he worked the console. "Go have your rest then."

As she wandered off to her room, he caressed the lever he was holding and whispered, "Come Sexy, it is time for one last grand adventure with the future Monarch of Meydidia."

The TARDIS responded with a shiver and a few hours later they landed. "Come Min," he said softly as he shook her sleeping form by the shoulder, "I have just the thing for your taxed mind. Come, come!"

He led a still-groggy Min out the TARDIS doors and onto the sienna grass of her home.

"Oh Doctor..."

He started to pull her along to the stone footpath, talking all the while. "Hurry up or we'll miss your appointment with Hapteep. You have no idea what I went through to get her for you. I'll be here too of course, but our paths will not cross. They have promised me we won't see each other until tomorrow night."

Min couldn't even respond to that. Not only had the Doctor taken her home, but he arranged for her to have a _qui'nah sel_ , what he would call a 'spa day' with the premier _qui'net_ in the Capitol.

She realized now that he had landed in the gardens of the _qui_ and was leading her to the main building's back entrance, reserved for special guests and royalty. After what she had been through the past several days, she wasn't going to argue about anything he signed her up for; she deserved it all!

-0-

It was the next evening when they met again at the TARDIS and Min felt like she had gone through her own regeneration. The Doctor looked refreshed as well, but there was tension in his eyes; she knew something was wrong.

"What is it Doctor? Don't hide anything from me."

"You were always too smart for your own good, Doll Face."

There was a sadness about him and she instictively knew: he had spoken to the Elders.

"I won't beat around the bush Min. I know what your faith means to you, and many, many times I pushed you to do things and go places you never would have considered because you trusted the woman I was. Maybe I was a bit callous toward your faithfulness to The One, but I respected your faith as best I could."

She put a finger to his lips, "Oh you sweet, beautiful woman and compassionate man." She embraced him tightly, "You spoke to the Elders, didn't you?"

"I did, yes…"

"And they said we could take one last trip, didn't they?"

Everything they had been through up to that moment was worth the look of astonishment, betrayal, joy and frustration on his face, and his incoherent splutters of outrage made her laugh.

" **_You_ ** asked? But **I** wanted…!" He walked in circles around the TARDIS, arms flailing, feet stomping, until he finally just bellowed long and loud.

"Are you done?"

His piercing glare slowly became a michevious smile and he held out his hand to her.

"Did they tell you one week as well? Of course they did! Are you ready for one last trip, my pretty Potentate? How much _time_ can we fit into a week?"

"But _Gah-meh_ ," De'lyth asked slowly, "you went on _many_ trips with him before you came home, didn't you?"

She smiled at her wide-eyed granddaughter, "Yes, De'lyth, I did."

"You _lied_ to the **elders**?"

Min paused a moment before answering the question; adults understood the finesse of word usage, not speaking the whole truth and the like. Children on the other hand were very clear in the morality of right and wrong.

"Yes, my little _kleti'ni_ (angel), I lied to the elders about my intentions. However," she added quickly, "once I returned home I presented myself to them in the temple and admitted my deception."

The gravity of the situation was not lost on De'lyth. "You said that in the _temple_?"

"I did. But at first they didn't understand that I had deceived them because they didn't really understand the reality of time travel. It never occurred to them that I could indeed return a day or a week after my departure, but was actually gone for many weeks or months. Which I was."

"What did they do to you, _Gah-meh?"_

"What elders do best. Discuss things to death."

She knew she was frustrating the child, but could not pass up the teachable moment.

De'lyth stood and stomped her foot, "Gah-meh tell the truth! What did they do to you for lying to them?"

"They discussed our agreement of my taking one last trip with the Doctor for a week's time before returning home for good. And the Doctor delivered me home exactly on schedule- one week after we left, even though we spent three weeks on Earth, four days orbiting the most incredible planet as its satellites aligned, and then of course we spent a month on Pen Haxico 2-"

Min had to laugh at the incredulous look on the child's face and she took her hands gently. "Dely. This is something that the Doctor called 'wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey.' It's when-"

" _Padi_ told me what it is," she replied and quoted from memory, "People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but _actually,_ from a nom-linear, nom-subject viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... timey wimey... stuff!"

"The Doctor would be so proud of you De'lyth! Can you tell me what it means?"

She dragged a toe in the dirt. "Well, _gah-peh_ told me it's like a ball of yarn; it's all one piece that's connected, but… but… oh! It can wrap around itself and look like different pieces when it's really all the same thing. So," she looked at Min sternly, "the elders cut you a piece of string this long," she held her hands apart to show the length, "and you agreed that was good, but then you smooshed it up and knotted it so you could travel more."

As De'lyth acted out the 'smooshed' yarn, Min felt the gentle touch of the Doctor's mind in hers.

' _That child is wise beyond her years. Yes Old Girl, I will tell her! I'm supposed to tell you that De'lyth will have some form of that wish granted. They will be a formidable pair, from what she tells me.'_

"And that's how the Doctor did it, right _gah-meh_? The length of yarn didn't change so you did what the elders said, but you timey-wimey'd it to get your way as well. I want to wibbly wobbly timey wimey with the Doctor in the TARDIS too!"

Min gathered the child in her arms so she would not see her tears. "I think that maybe someday, Dely, you will get that chance. But until then, learn your lessons, obey your elders, and don't be afraid to ask questions!" She released the girl and held her at arm's length. "And to answer your question, the elders couldn't agree about the legality of our agreement versus the reality of time travel and any attempt to deceive them. So, they had me write down all the things we did in my last 'week' with the Doctor, in great detail. By hand."

De'lyth looked shocked. "But _Gah-meh_ , that would have taken you weeks and weeks!"

"It did, child. It did. Many, **many** weeks."

"Will you make me write if I follow and _don't_ follow the rules like you did?"

"We shall see," Min said, happy that the child understood.

"I thought I might find you two here," Jaukin, the Prince Consort said as he rounded the corner of the garden.

" _Gah-peh!_ "

"Let me guess, Doctor-talk?" Min nodded as the child ran into his arms and started chattering on about all she had learned. He stood there holding her for a few minutes, appropriately enthralled by all her "new" information, and when De'lyth finally paused to breathe Jaukin took advantage and spoke.

"Your _padi_ informed me that there were chores to be done, now that the Doctor has left, and I've heard there is a stiff punishment if promises made were not kept."

De'lyth blushed orange and her braids turned brown.

"And since I certainly don't want to get in trouble, I thought I'd come find you and ask for your help. Because…."

"Two work faster than one," the child squealed. She squirmed out of his embrace and slid to the ground, taking his hand and pulling him toward the palace all in one fluid motion. "Hurry up, _gah-peh_! Hurry hurry!"

'Palte will scold you for spoiling her, _gah-peh_ ,' Min said to his mind as they walked off toward the palace.

'I spoil those whom I love, _sva'eteks,'_ he replied smoothly, 'and I intend to steal you away to our private garden so we may have our own discussion, alone.'

Min's bells tinkled in anticipation of that "discussion" and felt the heat rise to her cheeks in pleasure; after one hundred forty years of marriage she and Jaukin were just as amorous now as they were at their bonding (her children would say even moreso!).

She looked around the garden, thinking about all the things she had done during her time with the Doctor and sighed. The melancholy was back just as it was every time he came to visit and left without her. She felt it more when he came alone on his visits, but she knew he wasn't _traveling_ alone, which made her feel slightly better.

She watched the suns sink lower into the sky as she slid from the story bench to the lush sienna grass and lay on her back, thinking back to the day they were finally parted as traveling companions, over one hundred sixty years ago.

_The Doctor completed the formal ceremony of returning the princess home to the King with his trademark flourish._

" _I will miss you," Min said stoically as she, her father and the elders stood in the palace courtyard Greeting Circle."Thank you for everything, Doctor."_

_He pulled her close and gave her a fierce hug,_ _then took her face in his hands and kissed her on the forehead, ignoring the gasps and stern looks from the senior group of Elders. Then he turned to the King and bowed at the waist._

" _Jedmep ti mak'i-nia, Mano'te Dina-ula'ni Ekata."_

_The King inclined his head in approval. "Min has taught you well, Doctor. I hope her time under your tutelage will benefit us for many years to come. I hope you will not be lonely without her on your journeys."_

" _Well, I am certain it was a learning experience," the Doctor replied and opened the door to the TARDIS. "But, I will not be alone! I would like you to meet my newest companion, Bitha!"_

_Min smiled as the humanoid feline walked out of the TARDIS, enjoying the gasps of shock and joy at seeing one of the fabled cat-kind._

_He stood about five feet tall and wore a pale green shirt with black pants. His face was a tri-color patchwork- a white muzzle blending into brown on the bridge of his nose, becoming solid black on his right side while on the left becoming a burnt orange with touches of black. But it was his eyes that were the most stunning._

_His left eye was a burnt sienna like the grass at their feet, while his right was a golden green._

_He bowed as the Doctor had to those assembled, then took Min's hand in his own._

" _Thank you for seeing my worth where others would not," he said in his deep, melodic voice. He then turned to address the King. "On New Savannah I am shunned by cat-kind; tri-colored men are considered unnatural, and sadly we cannot reproduce. I was an outcast, but your daughter, oh King, saw my potential and rescued me from certain death. I am forever in her debt and that of the Doctor, for allowing me to live and learn and to simply be."_

" _Enough platitudes and thank yous," the Doctor blustered as he separated Bitha and Min, "or we shall be here a fortnight! Into the TARDIS with you," he gently pushed the calico towards the door, "and back to your father with you, my dear."._

_The bells of her lendeith jingled sadly as she watched him step into the doorway of the TARDIS._

" _Minad at plu'kao, Doctor."_

_He paused at the blessing and smiled. "Thank you Min, for healing my hearts, and for finding me a most unique pet-panion to travel with."_

" _Again with the 'pet-panion', Doctor," the very feline growl sounded from within._

_The Doctor grinned and closed the door behind him; a moment later he was gone._

She had fallen asleep on the grass and was gently nudged awake by the sensed presence of Admiral Lut'na. The lamps were lit against the evening dusk and she stood to greet him as he entered the softly glowing garden, chiding herself for being "caught napping."

"May I help you, Admiral?"

" _Mano'te_ , there is a ship at space dock that requires your attention. I have been requested to bring you to the Capitol City at once."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "And what is of such import that you must come into my private Story Gar- why can I not… who is blocking your mind from me?"

"Apologies Mano'te. Please don't ask questions and follow me. Your escort to the capitol is waiting at the palace gates."

Twenty minutes later Min was on the landing dock staring at a ship she did not recognize.

"The ship's captain requested an audience with you _Mano'te_ ," the Admiral said, "and would give no other information than he is carrying an important gift for you."

The hatch rolled back and Min was face to face with Captain Jack Harkness.

Protocol demanded that she wait for him to address her before acknowledging him, and it took every ounce of royal training and willpower to not rush up to greet him.

" _Mano'te Mintu'pa-he Ekata,_ " he said as he gave a formal bow, hands clasped in front of him with the pointer fingers up. "I have come at the request of a mutual friend with a gift worthy of your stature. May I present this gift to you?"

The Admiral glanced at the head of security who signaled her approval which he then gave to the captain with a sharp nod. Min could feel that this was more for show than protection, and realized there was a collective force, led by the familiar mind of her husband, preventing her from perceiving anything from Jack.

Knowing Jaukin was one of that force gave her some measure of peace, so she decided to play along. It must be something incredible for the Prince Consort to go to these lengths to keep her from knowing!

"The Admiral has given his consent, you may approach, Captain. And I must say it is a pleasure to see you again."

Jack smiled and held out his hand to the hatch door and a fur-covered hand grasped it.

"Bitha?"

Min stood in shock as the two approached her, ignoring the glee she could feel from her husband's mind. The cat walked with a limp now, but otherwise he looked the same as he had when they last saw each other all those years ago.

"My Queen, _Mano'te_ ." He nearly purred the words and his free hand flexed and contracted in a kneading motion. "You gave me the chance to live when I was ready to die. You showed me love and my worth, and I told you I owed you a life-debt. The Doctor told me of a ritual, ' _detah_ , that will allow me my freedom and also keep me in the bondage to you that I so desire."

Min smiled, "That sounds very much like him to put it that way."

"As you can see, my Catkind friend here can no longer 'ninny-prance to traipsey things' as he could in his youth," Jack said, "and it was the Doctor's desire for his companions to share their lives together for the rest of their days. And as Bitha has already stated, he wishes to fulfill his life-debt to you and will accept nothing less than ' _detah_ as proof of this. Does _Mano'te_ accept?"

Jaukin watched this exchange from the reception area across from the ship and smiled. He had never seen his wife rendered speechless before this, and knew just how deeply this touched her heart and soul. When she took longer to answer than protocol allowed, he nudged her mind with the words she couldn't find.

"Ye-yes, I accept."

Jack and Bitha approached and stood in front of Min as the admiral took two steps back. The cat reached for her _lendeith_ , holding the seven silver braids loosely as his hand slid down to the bells. Jack reached into his inner coat pocket and withdrew a red flower whose petals quickly turned green and gold, tipped in a blue to match the TARDIS. He handed it to Bitha and the petals changed to a mottled pattern of brick red, TARDIS blue, white and brown.

Min looked at Jack with unshed tears in her eyes. He took her hand in his and smiled. "The last time you saw the _Värik Käita Teralehtiä_ , I spoilt Jean's surprise, and you never got to hold one yourself. But now this 'honorable rogue' offers you the chance to see what it will do for you."

She smiled at the references to Dr. Jean. "I will never know what it would have been then, but I will gladly see it now."

She took the proffered flower; the stamen became TARDIS blue while the petals became white from their base to the middle, blending into the red skin of her people and some of the tips turned purple while others were green or black.

"I've never see it turn so many colors before," Jack said with true awe. "And all three of us got the blue of the TARDIS, too."

Bitha glared at the man, "Of course we did, Captain. He is a part of us, and we of him. Now, I would like to bind my life to _Mano'te_ if you don't mind?" He closed his hand around the _lendeith_ bells and began the ceremonial chant.

Min was so focused on ' _detah_ that she did not realize her family had joined her on the landing dock until De'lyth took her hand. Once she and Bitha completed the final phrase, her _lendeith_ bells rang a beautiful melody as four of the braids turned the green and brown of Bitha's eyes.

Bitha smiled and began to purr. "What service may I perform for my Queen," he asked through the pleasant rumble. Then the remaining three became a deep royal purple, pale blue and gold: the colors of the Ekata Royal Family, and the family's bells rang out in joy.

"' _detah wakai_ ," Jaukin said reverently as he stood next to his wife. " _Hakka'dosh_ has made him part of our family."

" _Neeki_ Bitha," De'lyth cried out and ran to him. She wrapped her arms around his leg, beaming with excitement.

He looked down at the child and as he touched the top of her head with his free hand, Min's _lendeith_ became white and De'lyth's picked up the calico pattern of the cat's fur as her bells seemed to mew.

"Not just _wakai_ ," Min said softly. "Look at Delly's _lendeith!_ He is now her _wakai padi'ne_ (Second Father)."

Bitha could feel the energy of the exchange around them and heard the voice of The One in the air; his heart finally knew peace as he held the child he always wanted and thought he would never have.

"Yes, my kitten, Uncle Bitha has come home to you." He released Min's _lendeith_ and picked up the child who instantly started petting his head. "I am yours until my last breath leaves my body, De'lyth."

Palte walked over to them and clasped Bitha on the shoulder. "I am honored beyond words that I should gain such a brother and _wakai padi'ne_ for my child. Come, join your family and we shall celebrate our newest member!"

Bitha looked at the Royal Family and purred his joy.. "The One be praised, I am _home._ "

Jaukin and Min were snuggled together in bed, basking in glow of their recent activities. He ran his sixth finger lazily up and down her arm and enjoyed watching the goosebumps appear.

"If this was my punishment for my deceptions yesterday, I think I might have to rebel more often."

Min rolled over to face him and propped herself up on her arm. "Please do, _sva'eteks_. I enjoy watching you squirm as I dole out your sentence slowly, keeping you powerless with my touch."

"As _Mano'te_ commands, so shall it be done!" They laughed and shared a deep kiss.

The temple bells rang the hour and Jaukin groaned as he rolled out of bed. "I must meet with _Amano'te_ (High Monarch, Ruler of Meydidia) and inform him of our new family member. We need to determine his title and land holdings, among other things."

"You know Bitha won't want all this fuss…"

"He is now part of the Royal Family, and as such is entitled to such things, there is no fuss."

Once he had left Min put on a dressing gown and sat on the balcony overlooking the gardens. Jack and Bitha were out there with De'lyth and Saleni'ti, the Head of House. The child was showing her new uncle how to play her favorite games while under the not-so-watchful gaze of the other two adults. Min knew Jack was working his charms on Salen'iti, and she hoped the widow would find some comfort from his friendship. She sighed at the gentle whoosh-whoosh of the breeze until she realized it emanated from within her bedchamber, and she smiled, keeping her back to the room as she continued to watch De'lyth play.

"Did _Hakka'dosh_ attend to my prayers," the Doctor asked as he stepped out of the TARDIS.

"You prayed to The One?" If her voice didn't convey the disdain of disbelief, her posture certainly did; even from the back.

"Why does that surprise you, Doll Face? I've always said I'm rather partial to your deity. Oh, and look: knickers!"

Min offered the barest glance behind her when she saw the flair of... a _kilt_?

She turned to face him as he spun in circles, making his kilt flare out waist high, showing a pair of red knickers underneath. This was _not_ the dark skinned Doctor who left her the day before, but the man Jean became after her regeneration.

"Oh, close your mouth girl, you'll catch flies! Did you forget that I am a Time Lord? But more importantly, you didn't answer my question; did my prayers work? Did Bitha become family or is he just your bondservant?"

" _Hakka'dosh_ granted him ' _detah wakai,"_ she said slowly with a quirked smile _. "_ He is now and forever part of my family, and also _wakai padi'ne_ to De'lyth."

The Doctor was beaming and so swollen with pride Min thought he would burst.

"But I think this is something you already knew, and just wanted to hear someone speak your deeds aloud. 'A haughty spirit'-"

He deflated somewhat and wagged his finger at her. "My only thought was in the best interest of that scallywag of a cat, not my own pride or gain." He then grinned widely, "But I am indescribably proud that The One should acquiesce to my humble request."

“I did not think Catkind had the longevity of my people. How…?"

He gave an exasperated sigh, "Time Lord? Magic blue box? Wibbly Wobbly? Any of those ring a bell? While it has been almost one hundred fifty years since you and I parted, Bitha and I have just said goodbye after spending fifteen years together and he longed to see you again. He rather enjoyed our adventures together before we finally brought you back home. Did the Elders ever find out?"

Min looked around nervously as she laughed. "Shh! These walls have ears! I wrote about _some of_ our adventures; why let them know there was more?"

"And how is our honorable rogue, Capt. Jack?"

As if on cue, the squeal of a child was mingled with the unmistakable belly laugh of Jack Harkness, and the Doctor smiled. "I prayed for him too, you know. He's had a rough go of things and could use some R&R, and some good old fashioned companionship."

The mischievous glint in his eyes showed exactly what kind of 'companionship' he was hoping for Jack to receive, and Min pursed her lips and glared at him, to which he responded with a wide-eyed innocent stare.

"He has found a friend in my Head of House, and I believe they will commiserate over lost loves quite happily for days." She beckoned him to the balcony to look down on the happy foursome; it didn't take an empath to feel the growing bond between the Captain and Min's Head of House.

Min took her friend's hand and squeezed gently. "They will each help the other heal. They both need that. And how a grown man and a widow engage in healing is none of my business," she retorted in response to the wicked grin he gave.

"Splendid! Just what that handsome rapscallion needs. And now, I must go…" he grasped her by the shoulders and gave each cheek a brusque kiss, "paradoxes, timelines and all that nonsense. Off I go, ninny-prancing to traipsey things!"

Min watched the TARDIS fade away and sighed. He was a clever man, but she still missed the clever woman before him.


End file.
